


Four Storey Drop

by MoonflowerKuroo



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: M/M, Next door neighbour au kind of, im australia so if shit doesnt make sense my bad lol, this was inspired by my time in new york
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2019-01-22 21:48:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 27,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12491572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonflowerKuroo/pseuds/MoonflowerKuroo
Summary: Empty apartment. A deep breath. A framed photo of a him and a woman sat on his bedside table. Blank walls, no paintings. Empty.This was the apartment of Andrew Minyard.Fourth floor. Apartment four hundred and twenty three. Neil now owned this apartment with his own money under his own name. Neil Josten, he had signed. He let himself feel a sense of pride.Permanent.He was ready.





	1. Washed up whiskey

Empty apartment. A deep breath. A framed photo of a him and a woman sat on his bedside table. Blank walls, no paintings. Empty.

This was the apartment of Andrew Minyard, former college Exy star, currently a bartender. Empty; nothing like his dorm in college. But he supposed he liked it more so that way. Nothing to tie him to Chicago, the town he was born in, was schooled in, nothing to tie him to that town at all.

A brother and cousin he had left in Chicago, along with his university, freshly graduated with too much inheritance. He was alone and three states over now, heaving a sigh as he watched the city mill through his window. 

Busy, busy, busy. 

He felt blank. Places like this never had made his heart go crazy like the films that were shot in his streets always described.

New York City. The so-called city of dreams. Andrew scoffed; he never expected to be in a place full of D and at the same time, A-list stars, in all his life. He had spent his college days escaping the press because they asked such ridiculous and personal things and now he was in the city that basically created and birthed the word _gossip._ What a life. He had spent all his years avoiding stupid things and trust Andrew to make the stupidest decision yet and sit himself down in a city that poured its heart into celebrity drama.

The Big Apple and there he was, hanging his legs off his fire escape with a packet of cigarettes in his hand. He supposed this scene of him wasn't too different from his hometown. One year had passed and here he was, ever stuck in time.

And don’t call it the Big Apple. Andrew hated that name, as did every other born and bred New Yorker. Call it the city.

Andrew slipped out his window onto the fire escape, shutting his window so the cool air didn't get out. His legs slipped easily through the bars that were in desperate need of a paint job and he swallowed when he caught a glimpse of the ground below, milling with cars and cabs and people heading to and fro. He couldn’t blame his mind for the fear; he was the one subjecting himself to it when he thought a fourth floor apartment was a good idea. Despite the height, the view wasn’t bad. It was New York, so it was of course dirty, but so was every town if you looked hard enough.

He moved to grab his lighter from his pocket before scowling. His lighter was inside his apartment and he couldn't be bothered getting up to get it. Just his luck. 

Sirens interrupted his frustration about his lighter and he listened as they came closer from below. Andrew was used to the screeching of music in his ears from the clubbing back home and the endless chatter in Time Square, along with the constant _woo!_ of the women who just had to stumble down his sidewalk to find their way home. The sirens didn't bother him anymore. They hadn't bothered him since those pigs gripped him by his shirt and pressed him across the hood of their car. 

Back then, he had grinned wildly. Now, he only closed his eyes to listen to the sounds that matched his memory. What a time that had been, to be with his brother he barely knew, both their heads pressed to the hood of the car that was still hot from the charged engine. Andrew grinned whilst Aaron tried to hide the adrenaline coursing through his veins when their eyes met. Carbon copies, identical DNA, yet completely different. Andrew had felt it too; the rush of connection between them as brothers but the sickness in his gut that held him away. It was a slippery slope since they had met each other, neither of them meeting each other halfway.

Andrew opened his eyes and followed the cop cars as they attempted to race through the snail traffic. The traffic lights switched and as the cars began to move and the cop cars started to think they were bicycles and weaved through the traffic.

 _Good luck,_ Andrew’s mind drawled as the cops disappeared around the corner, taking their screeching sirens with them. They were probably chasing a couple rag tag team of teenagers who had just learned what it was like to run from police and now couldn’t get enough. 

Oh, youth. The phone call he had used on Nicky when he was arrested for the second time with Aaron was still a laugh, even after all these years. The shock and surprise from Nicky had fuelled his drug induced mind and Aaron sat close to him, listening into the conversation in silence as his face heated with shame. _What do you mean you were just arrested?!_

Like it had been summoned, his phone spoke from the silence of his apartment. He spared it a glance and yawned on the third ring. He let it die out and rolled his eyes when his ringtone sprung up again.

Andrew threw open his window with a sharp pull; he had to get his lighter anyway so he might as well check who was ringing.

Of course it was Nicky. Who else would call him more than once?

 

_One missed call from "Cousin" who did not leave a message. This message was provided at no cost to you._

Today 16:49  
_yo either ur ignoring me or ur at work. txt me back bc i wanna talk!!_

 

Andrew didn't bother to respond. Nicky, despite his tendency to never know when to shut the fuck up, always got Andrew's tendency to never want to do something that involved other people. He had stopped inviting Andrew out since they had both left college and he was grateful Nicky had finally gotten the hint. Nicky lived in Germany now, but sometimes he came back home to see his dearest cousins. Andrew had let him go but Nicky always liked weaselling his way into things, just like how he had weaselled his way back to America with Erik two years ago so he could officially meet the twins. He had done it without even telling the twins which seemed impossible at the time.

His phone beeped again and it was a reminder that his shift was starting soon. He sniffed and grabbed his lighter, lighting up a cigarette as he pulled on his jacket. He had the courtesy to check his appearance in the mirror hanging next to his door and sniffed. His hair was mused and he looked beyond tired from his late shifts but whatever.

He pulled on his shoes, flicking the laces over and grabbed his phone. He yawned again as he travelled down the stairs.

"No smoking!" the receptionist yapped as he passed with the stick in his fingers. Andrew didn't look at her as he pushed through the revolving door with a huff, smoke clouding around him.

 

 

Neil jingled his keys in front of his new apartment door, the weight of them tying him to the floor. The teeth of it pressed into his thumb as he squeezed it, almost causing him pain. It calmed his nerves in a way he never thought the feeling of ownership would. 

This was his. He’d never had an apartment to himself or even a dorm in college. He always had someone next to him; his mother, Jean, Kevin, _someone._ Never had he lived alone since his mother’s death and once Kevin had picked him up and shipped him to Palmetto, he had never been alone again.

Now he was in a city he had only passed through as a child with keys to a brand new apartment in his hands and four bags around him, a backpack on his shoulders. Alone. He didn’t like the feel of that word, knowing his own ties to it. 

A DIY bed was leaning against the wall next to him and he wasn’t looking forward to reading the manual in the four languages he knew and being even more confused once he decided to try and set it up.

The bags around him didn’t bother him as much they would have a few years ago. To be fair, he had acquired many things over the years which now filled his four bags. Allison kept buying him clothing, accessories and shoes until he needed to buy a bigger bag to fit them all in. Soon enough, he had to buy more bags to compensate the amount of clothes Allison was buying him every week. It started with a new shirt or a nice jacket he admitted might come in handy soon enough until it turned into _this would look good on you_ or _eh, this will do._

Neil shivered and shoved the key into the- _his_ \- lock and swallowed as the door creaked open. It was quiet, of course, in his apartment and he shivered. He quickly moved his bags inside and stood in the emptiness of his new home.

Blank walls, clean carpet smell, clear windows that held the view of a fourth storey apartment. Neil stifled a yawn and lugged his bags into his bedroom. He found a large set of drawers and felt his heart speed up. Anything that he didn’t have to lug up the elevator was to be appreciated. He hadn’t stopped thinking like a student when it came to free things.

Neil started unpacking slowly, tugging shirts out of his bags and laying them neatly in the drawers. He would need bedside table but he supposed the less he had now would do him a great deal later when he was first moving in.

He took a deep breath once one of his bags was unpacked and swallowed. He pulled the bed into the apartment as best he could and manoeuvred it into his bedroom. Neil stripped out all the pieces and piled up the similar pieces together for easy access. Allison would be over later on with Jeremy to help him assemble the bed so he figured just letting himself settle in for the time being would be enough. Jeremy would be bringing over his cheap plates and cutlery, along with a blender for his convenience. He had claimed he was the king of house warming gifts and Neil had to wonder just how many housewarming parties the man had been to to earn himself that title.

Neil sat down in the centre of his room, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his knees. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to help settle himself. He shoved his hands into the carpet and ended up laying back and staring at the ceiling.

Part of the plastic from his bed touched his head as it slowly folded over and he found it oddly comforting. He had a permanent residence now. His father was dead and buried along, sadly, with his mother. No one was coming after him for once. His uncle would call in two days.

He was safe; Neil felt himself foolishly smile. Only, he felt it was foolish. He felt he could never be safe and yet here he was, thinking it for the first time in years. Riko was gone; he was okay for now at least.

His apartment felt strangely open, something he never thought it would feel. It was open for him, and for the people he trusted, just like him. This apartment was his, just like how the things that filled his bags was his.

Neil took a deep breath and lifted himself from the floor. He knew he was far from recovering from the initial shock of ownership. He knew he would still freeze when someone knocked his door. He knew he would still think his father was around every corner and have to actively remind himself he was _alone._

His uncle would call in two days. Instead of reminding himself to run and never look back like his mother had taught him before she passed, he had to remind himself of mundane things like that. His uncle would call in two days, Jeremy and Allison would be over later that day to help him _settle in._

Neil’s mind brightened when he remembered that Jeremy would be bringing racquets too. He liked scrimmaging with him because he could use his defence skills against him as he played offence. Jeremy liked it because Neil was shorter and skinnier than Jean so he had to adjust himself to properly avoid Neil’s quick movements instead of Jean’s stocky blocks. It was good practise for both of them, considering Jeremy’s style and footwork was different to Kevin’s, something he had gone through years of training with.

Fourth floor. Apartment four hundred and twenty three. Neil now owned this apartment with his own money under his own name. _Neil Josten,_ he had signed. He let himself feel a sense of pride. 

Permanent.

He was ready.

 

"Andrew, you're eight minutes-"

"I was fourteen minutes late yesterday,” Andrew called as he charged into his workplace. If anything, his co-worker should be grateful he even showed up that night. He’d much rather be home smoking his lungs to ash but the economy was a bitch that he had serve.

His co-worker left his jaw hanging open- his name was... Boyd? Ugh, Andrew couldn't even kid. His memory never failed him, not even when he badly wanted it to. Especially when Nicky was the one talking.

"And we're not on first name basis," Andrew called back to him, shrugging off his jacket. Boyd chuckled as he finished cleaning off a tall glass and placed it on the counter behind them.

"Sure thing," he replied, awfully chipper. “Minyard or you break my nose. I haven’t forgotten.”

Andrew knew Boyd wanted to say _if you can reach my nose_ but his aggressively tall co-worker knew not to annoy him if he knew what was good for him.

“Dan might swing by tonight,” Boyd told him, expecting Andrew to acknowledge the statement. Andrew pulled up a bottle of tequila and poured himself a shot. Boyd rubbed his hands together and threw him a lemon while Andrew licked his hand and shook some salt onto his hand. He downed the shot with the lemon and salt and shook his head as his body tried to shiver violently.

A year and a half Andrew had been working at that bar. Boyd had been there for almost three years and Andrew had been paired with him for training even though Andrew insisted he didn’t need it, especially with the human embodiment of a golden retriever. 

Order after order, shot after shot, martini after martini. Andrew served all night without so much of a word to customers or to Boyd. A few of his regulars knew his attitude and took no harm from it but the few girls that came in and complained to Boyd about, “the scary guy behind you” made him satisfied. 

“Hey, Minyard! Another round?”

Andrew glanced to his left, meeting the tipsy gaze of a man named Carter and served him another beer. He thanked him with a nod of his head and handed him the right change. Andrew tapped Carter’s empty beer bottle to his new one. 

Andrew watched Boyd pour a martini and hand it to a woman with a soft smile. He stopped suddenly and his smile grew as the woman turned away and another replaced her.

“Dan!” he exclaimed and she smiled at him, kissing his cheek over the bar. Andrew turned away and leaned back on the bar, watching people mill into the bar, laughing and stumbling all over the place to the music that hummed in the back of his mind. 

Andrew glanced at the clock behind the bar and stopped himself from sighing aloud. Five more hours before he could go home. Two more hours until his break where he could smoke for twenty minutes before coming back into the crowded and stuffy bar he called work. 

Andrew took a deep breath of the bar and restrained himself from an eye roll when a woman fit herself into the bar and showed herself off to the male bar-goers. She waved to Andrew for a drink and he poured her a drink with little hesitation.

Five more hours before he could go home. Two more hours until his break. He knew this was going to be a long night. His intuitions never failed him.

Dan spied him, her eyes raking him up and down. He met her gaze with a blank one of his own, knowing what he must have looked like.  
She only raked a hand through her curls and tilted her head at him in question. He blinked slowly before she decided to look away, muttering something to Boyd.

Andrew wondered how much his boss would yell at him if he took his break two hours early. He always wondered if Boyd would call him up for it. It would be doing the bar a favour to get him away from his girlfriend but Andrew didn’t know which he disliked more; Boyd or his boss.

Safe bet was his boss but he didn’t exactly want to be screamed at for the fourth time in two weeks. His cigarettes burned a hole in his pocket instead of his lungs and he cursed silently. 

Two hours until he could escape Boyd and his heart eyes for his girlfriend. Two hours until he could feel his lungs with stuff New York air and his own cigarettes.

 

Neil was grateful that his apartment building was mostly catered to middle aged business men working away from their families. Most of them left early in the morning and Neil never saw anyone coming and going unless they were younger tenants. 

He was also grateful for this fact because Allison had a habit of announcing to the whole world where she was going, who she was with and when she would be there. He didn’t want someone questioning why there was a woman shouting inside his apartment at four in the afternoon.

She had forewarned Neil of her arrival, as he had to buzz her in but he could hear her bitching or just chatting to Jeremy (he was never entirely sure but he was positive Jeremy didn’t have a clue either) when she stepped out of the elevator. 

“All I’m saying,” Allison’s voice said from the end of the hall. Neil laid in wait in his kitchen, his hands braced on the counter. “All I’m saying is that if you were in goal, what would you do?”

“Well, I wouldn’t be in goal to begin with,” Jeremy said, his voice a little strained. Allison snorted and something jingled so Neil assumed it was her bangles.

“Hypothetically, what would you do?” Allison replied snappily. Jeremy sighed in response. “Give me that. Knock. He’s probably not even home.”

“He said four o’clock.” Jeremy cleared his throat and Neil opened the door before he could make contact. Jeremy’s eyes widened and he barked a laugh as Allison shoved her way through to the apartment.

“This is for you, Josten,” Jeremy said, drawing his attention back. Neil blinked when Jeremy placed a small house plant in his hands. It fit perfectly in his hands, wrapped in yarn with a little succulent peaking out the top. So this was his grand housewarming gift. Easy enough but still useful. Neil still didn’t understand how he was the so-called “king of housewarming gifts”, though.

“Something simple,” Jeremy smiled, confirming Neil’s observation. “To start you off. You gotta soak it every two weeks. So it doesn’t, you know, _die._ ” Neil raised his eyebrows in mock surprise and nodded.

“No thanks needed,” Jeremy laughed. He waved him off when Neil opened his mouth to say something. He picked up a cardboard box and heaved it up into his arms, along with a bag of what sounded like cutlery. He most likely counted those bags as housewarming gifts too. Neil couldn’t blame him.

Allison surveyed the apartment, opening up all the windows and letting in the background noise from the traffic. Neil frowned whilst she stood there with her hands on her hips, lip between her teeth as she took a deep breath. It was like a dog in a new environment, surveying her surroundings. Not that Allison was a dog, but.

“Your neighbour smokes,” she said with a huff, shooting a look over her shoulder at Neil. “Don’t get lung cancer or I’ll go ballistic. Leave me with Kevin and I will actually kill you myself.”

“Then you’d be left with Kevin either way,” Jeremy smiled, clearly not oblivious to the fact that he was pushing Allison’s buttons. He always did it with Jean but Jean was a lot harder to crack than Allison and it was clear Jean had a higher tolerance for sunshine Knox because of their college days than Allison did. Even though she and Jeremy were always together if Jeremy wasn’t with Jean, they disagreed on a lot of things, Jeremy being more bashful about said things than Allison being stern and stubborn.

Allison shrugged and filed into the bedroom with Neil behind her and Jeremy leaning over him. Allison sat down in the middle of the room, flicking her hair out of her face and reaching for the manual. 

Neil placed the plant Jeremy had given him on the window sill of his bedroom and positioned it in the corner. Jeremy smiled when Neil looked back at him.

“They’re hanging succulents,” Jeremy said, picking up one of the wood planks. “So you can get a hook and hang it if you want.”

“You need more to do that,” Allison said, skimming the manual. “And if you’re going to hang them up, keep them in your bathroom. Like a fairy oasis.”

“What if he doesn’t want to be a fairy?” Jeremy asked, lining up another wooden plank and clearly having no idea what he was doing.

“Oh, believe me. He wants to be a fairy.” Allison said it like it was obvious. Of course Neil wanted to be a fairy. “Who the hell doesn’t want their bathroom to be a massive forest? I sure as hell do.”

Jeremy considered it before shrugging. That was his signature _I guess you have a point_ shrug and everyone on their team knew it. He used it too many times on Jean and not enough times on Kevin when trying to settle an argument between both of them. Their bickering could go on for hours but nothing compared to Neil and Kevin’s. Allison would always be the one to cross her arms, stamp her foot and yell, _“You both haven’t changed since college! Suck it up!”_

Neil pulled the manual out of Allison’s hands and skimmed it whilst she stood up. She stretched and went to her handbag, pulling out a few allen keys and two big screwdrivers. Jeremy’s eyes widened but Neil realised he hadn’t even began to question how weird that might be to other people. Allison always carried the weirdest things in her handbag. She once pulled a hairdryer out whilst Neil was sitting next to her in the back of a cab and asked him to hold it.

Allison threw the allen keys at Neil, which he caught with some grace and slammed the screwdrivers into her hand like she would a fist.

“Let’s get to work,” she said. “Our second golden boy needs a bed by tonight or else he’s sleeping on the floor.” She pointed the screwdrivers at Neil when he opened his mouth. “I know you wouldn’t mind that but for God’s sake, Neil, we are making you a shitty IKEA bed or you are sleeping at my place tonight.”

Jeremy nodded, leaning the wooden planks against the wall and dusting off his hands. “Who’s the first golden boy? I would have assumed Neil was the first because you two are college friends.”

Allison stared at him before sighing. “Knox, I quite like you, but you’re impossibly stupid sometimes. You’re the first golden boy- stop gushing. Can we just get this over with? I have a date tonight that I would rather not miss.”

“A girl?” Neil asked, leaning against the wall. He touched the succulent lightly and watched it bounce back from the small force.

Allison nodded, shifting through the screws. “A girl indeed. She dyes her hair and I think I want to marry her. Is that too forward? Eh, whatever. We can talk it out over dinner.”

Jeremy chuckled softly. “Then let’s get this done so you can get hitched.”

“You can be my maid of honour.”

“Really? Wouldn’t Alvarez take that honour? Or one of your girls back home?”

“Nah.” Allison waved her hand. “I’d rather see Jeremy Knox in a dress and stilettos on my wedding day. You can walk me down the isle too if you want. God knows my father will.”

“Well, paint me flattered, Missus Reynolds.” Jeremy fist bumped her when she offered. “I guess we really better get Neil his bed or I won’t get a dress.”

“Or you could keep making wedding plans,” Neil said, closing the manual. “Pass me that thingy.”

“Frame?” Jeremy supplied. Neil frowned and just waved for it. “I’ll hold it steady, yeah?”

Neil nodded, slotting one of the pieces of the frame into place against the headboard that Allison had grabbed to help him. Neil grabbed a few screws and one of the allen keys, fitting it into place and securing it tightly.

As quick as the three of them could, Neil’s bed was assembled and Jeremy stood in the middle of the frame, his hands on his hips and a frown on his face.

“Neil, you do realise that you need a mattress, right?” he asked, meeting Neil’s tired gaze. He immediately sighed. “Allison, come on. We’ll be back soon, Neil. This is a queen, yeah?”

Neil tried to protest but Jeremy gave him a cheery smile. “Honestly, nothing is gonna be open at this time but we’ll see what we can find. Worse comes to worse, you can order in another mattress, no sweat.”

Neil opened his mouth but Allison shot him a look. “Relax. We’ll be back as soon as we get you a dumpster mattress. Take a breath. It’s been a big day.”

Jeremy led her out of the apartment, flashing Neil a smile before the door clicked shut. Neil yawned and sniffed. His phone said nine thirty four but it felt so much later. Although, without a mattress, Neil couldn’t do much.

He rubbed his eyes and pulled himself out onto his fire escape for some fresh air. Well, as fresh as air could get in New York. Cars sounded their horns trying to move through traffic, cab drivers lowered their windows to yell at other cab drivers, some even got out of their cabs to slam on the hoods. 

Neil watched the busy city mill and found himself calm despite the endless chatter. No doubt he'd get sick of it come a week or two but for now, living in the endless busy moments of a city that never slept had its perks. He could be sure he was living whilst people moved around him. He could be sure he was alive.

Had someone told him when he was seventeen, squatting in Millport, that in just a few short years he’d be on a professional team and owning a permanent apartment in New York City, he would have spat in their face and taken the first bus out of the state. He wasn’t allowed to want this life after his mother died, after his father was released from prison.

Now, he had to remind himself that he was allowed to want to live, to never want to run again. Sometimes, he still had the urge. To pack up everything when everything came crashing in on him. To run to a town or city or country where no one knew the name Neil Josten or knew his face. He supposed he wouldn’t get far with the scars he was sporting on his cheeks and his face all over magazines.

But most of the time, he knew he had to sit still. To look presentable. To be proud of how far he had come. He was Neil Josten, and no one was going to take that away from him.

The window next to him was pushed open and Neil saw a flash of an arm that held a lit cigarette. They seemed to be wearing a black sleeved shirt and it fit around their wrist snuggly. 

The person flicked off the cigarette, letting the ash float down onto the concrete of the sidewalk. If anyone was walking down there, Neil would hate to hear them cry out about flakes of grey being in their hair.

The person who Neil correctly dubbed as his next door neighbour sighed. At least Allison was right about one thing; he may not want to be a fairy but his neighbour did indeed smoke. Pall Malls, to be exact. Neil knew the package that rested on his neighbour's windowsill because his uncle smoked the same. UK born but US raised since 1907. Stuart hated that.

Neil leaned his head against the wall frame. It would be a while before Allison and Jeremy returned and Neil was content to just watch the traffic mill past. The smoke from his neighbour was oddly comforting and his thoughts drifted.

Stuart had been reluctant to let Neil study in the states after Mary’s death. 

Once his father died too, Stuart was even more ready to buy Neil a plane ticket and catch the first plane into Heathrow airport. Wymack had to be the one to convince him, from “one old man to another”, in Allison’s words. Stuart’s terms had been firm with no negotiation as he was determined to keep his nephew safe despite being estranged for so many years.

 _“You will answer when I call, or so help me, boy. You got it?”_ Stuart had sighed when Neil nodded obediently and rested his hand on Neil’s shoulder. _“I can’t let anything happen to you. After my sister… We’ve only got each other, kid. You understand that, right?”_

 _“Yes.”_ Neil had looked up at him and Stuart sighed again, a small chuckle escaping his lips.

_“Everyone says you look like your old man but you’ve got the same look Mary used to give me when I tried to be the big brother. Same kind of, “I see your bullshit” look.”_

Neil much rather preferred being compared to his mother than his father. Stuart was able to grab this information right away. Neil knew he was similar to his mother in many ways but when it came to looks, he was looking at his father every time he looked in the mirror.

_“Answer when I call, aight? That’s all I ask. And you don’t get a say in whether or not I come and see you. If anything happens to you, you’re on the first plane to England and I will be the one carrying you out of that terminal by the scuff of your neck.”_

Stuart wasn’t scary at all compared to the terrors Neil had faced. He was fiercely protective of things he loved, like his wedding ring despite his wife being dead for some time now, his alcohol and apparently now, his nephew. Neil knew he had been a last resort for him and his mother should they ever need it and now Stuart was showing just how much help he could offer Neil.

 _“Yes,”_ Neil had said to him, echoing himself. Stuart squeezed his shoulder and nodded to Wymack.

 _“I guess we’ll talk soon then, kid. Keep him out of trouble,”_ he had said gruffly to Wymack. The coach had just nodded and waved him off, shutting his apartment door behind him.

 _“So that’s the family, huh?”_ Wymack said to him. Neil nodded numbly and sat down on his couch. Wymack told him to get some sleep and the rest of the night was a blur to him.

Neil didn’t know if the cigarette smoke was comforting because of his mother or because of his uncle. He realised he didn’t mind either outcome. 

Neil sighed softly. Allison and Jeremy would be back soon with his mattress and his uncle would call in two days. He lived in an apartment now, nothing to haunt him.

He took a deep breath and felt the side of his mouth tug up. He licked his lips and folded his arms over his chest, cars beeping under his gaze and his neighbour’s cigarette stubbed out next to him, flicked down onto the footpath. 

Neil Josten, New York City. Apartment 423. 

It was time he started owning himself.

 

 

Andrew lit up and swung his legs off the fire escape and heaved a sigh. The city milled below him and he swallowed as the light began to blur together.

"Please... Save me the lecture. I'm not in the mood."

Andrew whipped his head to the side at the voice. It would appear he had a new neighbour across from him. He wasn’t aware his old one had even moved out.

"I don't care. Yes, I just said that. I understand... Yes, coach. Goodbye."

Andrew trained his eyes on the bars in front of him and felt the presence of another person on the fire escape to the right of him. _Coach._ He didn't have to look to know it was his neighbour.

Andrew spared a glance to his right, confirming the voice was male, and stood up. He pocketed his lighter and crushed his cigarette on the railing, flicking it into the dying pot plant in the corner.

He gripped the top of his window and swung himself into his apartment. He slammed his window closed.

One thing you needed to know about Andrew was that he hated interacting with other people. He avoided it if he could and his new neighbour would be no exceptions. His old neighbour was the same as him, keeping her business to herself only and he was grateful for her. Andrew was hoping his new neighbour would be the same as her.

Andrew stilled at a knock at his door. It echoed throughout his apartment loudly. He turned slowly, glaring at his door. He pushed up on his toes to see through the peep hole, barely reaching it but he didn't see anyone so he assumed it was Aaron. Nicky was way above the peephole and usually ducked to look back at Andrew because he knew Andrew hated it. Another knock and an angry growl answered his thought.

"Joseph, I know you're home! Either you jumped off the fire escape or your receptionist is right about not seeing you leave the building."

Andrew slotted the chain lock into place and opened the door a wedge. "That's an invasion of my privacy and Martha, who's on her second marriage, should keep her nose out of it." Andrew looked down at the box in Aaron's hands. "The fuck is that. It's making sounds."

"They're called _kittens._ " Aaron hoisted the box up and opened it with distaste. He hesitated and looked up at Andrew. “Katelyn asked me to come."

"Aw, you've got the children you've always dreamed of," Andrew deadpanned as he leaned against the door frame. Aaron scowled. "Don't screw it up like dearest mother." He slammed the door before Aaron could get another word in. 

"For fuck's sake,” Aaron growled and smacked his hand on the door. "So help me God, Andrew, I will leave this fucking box outside your apartment."

"Give it to your colleagues," Andrew replied. "I don't want a cat."

Aaron heaved a sigh. He made a cooing noise that Andrew didn’t know he could even make. There was silence for a few moments and Andrew cracked open the door to find no Aaron but the box of kittens that was strangely quiet. He slid the lock from the door and opened it completely, staring down at the box.

"I knew you'd open the door!" Aaron called from the stairwell. He poked his head up from the stairs and Andrew scowled.

"Go back to Chicago, Michael," he warned. A door opened but Andrew ignored it. He nudged the box with his foot and mews escaped from it. "Take your damn cat fest. How did even find my apartment? I never told you I moved."

"Nicky, obviously," Aaron snapped. He stood up and shoved his hands into his pockets. “And I moved to Brooklyn four months ago. The cats can die for all I care.”

Andrew knew Aaron moved; his brother had the decency to call when something important happened but that didn’t mean Andrew was obligated to pick up. Andrew couldn’t care less. He knew Aaron was closer to him but even in the same state annoyed Andrew.

"And you can go lie to your sweetheart about how they’re all in good homes." Andrew raised his eyebrows when Aaron glared at him. "Oh, wait. You don't like lying to her."

"I'll take the cats if you can put the box in my hands." And with that, Aaron walked down the stairs casually. He knew Andrew wouldn’t chase after him and it pissed him off.

Andrew swallowed back a growl as Aaron's converse covered feet stomped down the stairs. He pulled out his phone and snapped it up, typing an angry message to Nicky.

"Tell me you won't kill them."

Andrew slowly tore his eyes from his screen and met the blue, blue eyes of his new neighbour. He stood there, leaning on his door frame with his hands in his pockets. Andrew stared at him, placing a name to a face. 

Neil Josten was his neighbour, it seemed. Neil Josten, the beaten down Exy kid who stood next to Kevin Day on the court in the Exy world now as a professional. Neil must have known how recognisable his face was with the scars on his cheeks and his bright hair. Andrew knew how recognisable he himself was in college.

Andrew sized him up with a squint. "I like proving people wrong."

His neighbour raised his eyebrows and came over, opened the box and blinked. "There's only two," he said and Andrew could have sworn there was three when he opened the door.

"This building won't have any rats anymore if that cat wants to survive," Andrew said, squinting at the kittens. Neil picked up one of them, a tawny rag doll and instantly its fur plastered itself to his shirt.

Andrew weighed his options. "Found an owner,” he concluded.

Neil looked up at him and Andrew glared into his annoying blue eyes. "You can't just-"

But Andrew was already inside his apartment. He didn't want a cat; he already had an annoying, too frequent cousin who came over from Germany and fucked up his apartment and apparently a twin brother who now knew his address. He didn't need something with claws and a need to eat frequently shredding up his apartment while he was at work sneaking shots to get through his shift.

Andrew slipped a cigarette behind his ear and climbed onto the stairs of his fire escape. Aaron had already ruined his day and he really needed a cigarette or three to take his edge off.

"You should really reconsider."

Andrew masked his startle at Neil's voice with a sniff. His new neighbour was holding the other cat, a tabby with a crooked tail and Andrew glared at it.

"Cats are nice." Neil blinked when the tabby wriggled in his hand and he let the kitten crawl up his back and nestle into his faded hoodie. "They're respectful."

Andrew raised his eyebrow and lit up his cigarette, shaking out the flame. Neil was minding the other cat, his blue eyes bright as he slipped a scarred hand underneath the rag doll that tried to patter over the edge of his fire escape.

"If it falls off the edge, you're explaining to my brother why one is dead."

"So that was your brother."

 _Wow, you’re an idiot._ “No, just a guy that looks exactly like me,” Andrew deadpanned. What did he expect?

Neil scoffed and rested the rag doll in the dip of his hoodie in his lap. "Was there only two? Cats usually have litters up to six."

Andrew ashed off in the plant. "Ask my brother that."

"Were there more than two?"

Andrew raised his eyebrows and watched the late night traffic move past. Neil took that as agreement and didn't ask anymore. At least he knew that much.

"I'd ask for names but I don't think you care enough."

“Congratulations. Good night.” Andrew crushed his cigarette into the railing and left it in the plant.

“Night, cat hater.”

Andrew stilled at the smart response and squinted at his own reflection in his window. He tilted his head in his neighbour's direction but didn't look at him. Instead, he pulled up his window and slipped inside his apartment.

Cat hater. Uncreative. Stupid.


	2. Kings and Queens: New York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Now, you're just throwing in the- What is that?"
> 
> Neil blinked and looked down to where Kevin was pointing and picked up Day. The irony of the two of them in the same room was almost enough to make Neil crack a smile. “It's my cat."
> 
> "You-" Kevin narrowed his eyes, thick brows scrunching together. "You have a cat."

Andrew’s Tuesdays were usually for mandatory groceries. There was only so much extremely sweet coffee that he could survive on before his body begged him for something with less sugar. But why not? If he could live off cup noodles and vodka in college then why couldn’t he live off sweet coffee?

He begrudgingly unlocked his door and left his apartment, almost running into Cat Man Neil Josten on the turn around towards the stairs.

He stared at him as Neil stopped and took a step back, arms full of cat food and a few bags of treats. Andrew raised an eyebrow at him and his neighbour just stared right back, his blue eyes boring into him.

"I'll tell my brother the good news," Andrew said and pulled past him quickly. His neighbour blinked and turned to watch him go down the stairs, shuffling the bags further up in his arms so he didn’t drop them.

“I’m thinking Queen for one of them.”

Andrew stopped short as he pulled his sunglasses off his shirt. He turned to Cat Man and glared over his shoulder. His face was awfully smug for someone who was about to get punched in the face if he didn't stop talking. 

It was a reference to Kevin Day. There was absolutely no way it couldn’t have been. Queen Kevin Day. Andrew didn’t doubt that Neil probably jabbed at Kevin about the nickname all the time if he was naming a fucking cat after him.

"Are you joking or are you as stupid as I believe you are?” Andrew said, sliding his sunglasses onto his face.

Andrew turned before Cat Man could reply and jogged down the stairs loudly, his feet stamping all the way down. He hated that he found Neil’s stupid humour engaging.

Martha, the receptionist, shot him a look. "Did Aaron come to see you?" she asked in a sickeningly sweet voice.

Andrew stopped short and shot her a glare. She shut her mouth and swallowed at his expression. He knew it was better than any retort he could have given and judging by her clearing her throat and turning back to her computer, she knew it too. He fixed his jacket and charged through the doors. He was sick of sparing her the time.

Martha wouldn’t be troubling him for a while, he supposed.

 

Martha ignored Andrew when he came back and he felt proud. Now she'd leave him alone and if she yapped at him again about lighting up in the lobby, he'd be pissed.

Andrew paused at his door with his keys in his hand. Neil's door was wide open and Andrew could hear him groaning.

"No, no. Please don't eat that. I'm so tired. Please don't- Damn it, cat!”

Andrew saw the rag doll leaving his apartment and Neil raced to to pick it up, slinging it up to his shoulder.

“No!” He walked back in and picked up the other cat before sticking his head out of the door. "You could make this easier by taking one of them," Cat Man growled. "Or both. I don't want them."

"And yet, here you are," Andrew deadpanned, “a single mother with a father not paying child support. The father is my brother, not me."

"Ugh." Neil frowned as one of cats nuzzled into his neck. Andrew could agree with that scoff. 

Andrew stared at him, Cat Man's blue eyes boring into him. The two cats looked up at him and the staring tripled. Andrew felt disgusted.

"Words cannot describe the hate I have for all three of you."

"Congratulations," Neil snapped. His temper seemed to get the better of him. "You're the perfect father. I'm Neil. Take your son."

Andrew squinted at the tabby and Cat Man Neil Josten held out the rag doll for him.

"That's Day,” he said, glancing between the two of them.

There had to be something wrong with him. Straight up; there had to be. Naming a cat after Kevin Day? He had to have a couple screws loose. And if Neil thought Andrew was actually going to pay attention to this cat, he was dead wrong. 

Andrew placed the cat on the ground and opened his apartment door. The rag doll seemed to find that extremely interesting and padded into his apartment. Andrew watched it go with inner distaste.

"It's Andrew, right?"

Andrew shot him a glare but Neil didn't back off. Of course he didn’t. "Your brother said it.”

"Do you ever know when to shut your mouth?" Andrew replied. 

Neil shook his head. "I have a habit of never knowing when too much is too much. Attitude problem, people say.”

 _People._ “I can tell." Andrew picked the rag doll up again when it tried to run back to Neil. Favouritism.

"This is a girl," Andrew said, holding it up. That was it; Neil was stupid. Bottomline. At least the name Queen more or less made sense. Not to dismiss Kevin’s nickname, of course. God forbid anyone who disrespected the queen.

"What?" Neil walked over with Queen in his arms and lifted the cat up too. "Huh. This one is too."

"Nice job, genius," Andrew deadpanned. “You're an idiot.”

Neil scowled after realising he had been insulted. He frowned at the cats and Day tried to paw Neil's arm. Andrew took the tabby from Neil and swapped the rag doll into his arms. Favouritism.

Andrew didn't spare him a farewell and closed his door at Neil's look of disbelief. He placed Queen on the ground and watched her just sit back on her hunches and look up at him.

"Shred anything and I shred your entire tail. Good plan?"

Queen stared up at him and mewed. Her tail was already crooked so she didn’t seem to care. Andrew blinked before kicking off his shoes. He weighed having a smoke before deciding that seeing Neil again would make him throw himself over the fire escape.

He dumped his jacket on the ground, stripped off his armbands along his shirt and got into bed, easing into the mattress. He had a long day and had adopted a cat; he deserved to rest.

Queen jumped up on the mattress and stared at him through the darkness. Andrew met her gaze over the covers that were pulled up to his eyes and squinted, as if she would understand the question of _What?_

Queen blinked before she curled up next to Andrew on top of the covers and rested her head on her paws. Andrew assumed she would be more energetic and playful but she didn't have her litter mates nor did Andrew give off the impression he was up for dangling a fish on a stick in front of her nose. 

Maybe this wasn't as difficult as he was making it out to be. As long as the cat didn't expect him to do anything with her then it would be fine. He could be comfortable with this.

 

All Queen did was sleep. Andrew was silently grateful. 

She would move around and stretch but she would always be in Andrew's line of sight when she napped, like she wanted him to know that she was there. He was yet to get a litter box but he had made a little newspaper sort of patch in the corner of his apartment with a tray underneath which would have to do until he could be bothered getting a proper one.

Andrew lowered his mug when she jumped onto the counter and meowed. He stared at her until Queen decided she had gotten her point across and met his gaze.

"I don't speak cat," Andrew growled. He grabbed his cigarette case and opened his window to have a smoke. “Don’t look at me.”

Queen followed him out and sat on the fire escape with him. They continued their stare/glare off until Neil's window opened and Queen found that more interesting than Andrew’s mood.

"No issues?" Neil mused when Queen meowed at him and didn't stop. "I can't reach over there. Sorry, Queen."

Queen kept going and Andrew was getting ready to sell the cat to Boyd. He’d make a good parent to the ungrateful furball. Neil leaned over and Andrew grabbed Queen before she could clabber over the edge to meet him.

"She's probably hungry," Neil said. He disappeared and when he came back, he handed Andrew a bag of canned cat food and treats. Andrew raised an eyebrow and Neil just shook the bag. ”That should help. She'll be quiet now."

So what if Neil's way of correcting the situation was morally correct? Andrew still didn't want the cat. He put Queen down when she found the bag Neil gave him and Andrew leant over the railing.

"You should probably stop ashing off in that plant."

Andrew looked up from his hands and felt his eye twitch at Neil's comment. This man; this blue eyed, strangely attractive, scar bearing man, was telling him how to live. Andrew got by just fine, thank you very much. If he wanted to kill a plant, he would.

"I suppose you're just going to ignore me now," Neil concluded and Andrew was surprised the cat man could guess that much. Maybe Andrew underestimated his stupidity.

Andrew took a drag from his cigarette and looked Neil dead in the eye as he ashed off in the plant and let the smoke escape from his mouth in a cloud. Neil blinked slowly at him and raised his eyebrows, unimpressed. Andrew took another drag and never broke eye contact with him until Neil's hand shifted absentmindedly and Andrew's eyes followed it.

Neil's phone vibrated and he picked it up, pressing it to his ear with a frown. "What is it, Kevin?"

Andrew stubbed out his cigarette and lit another up. Neil watched him with a crease between his eyebrows and Andrew begrudgingly offered him one.

Neil froze when the person on the phone asked him something right after Andrew struck his lighter to a flame. He lit Neil’s too.

"No, I'm not smoking. Check your hearing." Neil pressed the cigarette to his lips and took a drag. "Yes, I'm lying to you. Cool. Kevin- I literally do not care. Yes, I'm selfish. The worst. Goodbye."

Neil hung up and pocketed his phone. Andrew waited for him to take a drag but he just let the cigarette burn in his hand. Andrew's scowl deepened; what a fucking waste.

"You owe me a cigarette," Andrew said coldly.

"Just like you owe me half for the cat food.”

"They can die for all I care."

Neil raised his eyebrows. “Sure. Tell your brother that."

"He would have killed them too."

"Which explains why he came to you to give them to you," Neil mused. "He obviously trusts you more than himself."

"You're insane." Andrew narrowed his eyes; Aaron didn’t know shit when it came to animals, even if he was a doctor. Katelyn was the veterinarian, Andrew knew that much, but their apartment much not have let them have more than one pet.

Neil lifted his chin and Andrew's phone rang. It was his turn to get angry at the mystery man on the phone.

"What, Boyd?" Andrew snapped. He nudged Queen with his foot and she moved out of the bag and into the apartment, Andrew picking up the bag afterwards. "I have a life outside of work."

 _"Cool,"_ Boyd replied with a laugh. _"You know your shift started twenty minutes ago?"_

Andrew's eyes flicked to the clock above his TV and suppressed a huff. 

_"Want me to stall?"_ Boyd asked cheerfully. Andrew was going to need a gin and tonic before he even got to work.  
Instead of replying, Andrew hung up. He pulled on his jacket and decided one hand down Queen's spine was enough for her. Maybe two.

 

 

Neil ignored Kevin's phone calls for the next four days until he showed up at his apartment.

Neil opened his door at the soft knock, assuming it was Jeremy from how polite they announced their presence. He took one look at Kevin and shut the door, understanding now how Andrew must have felt when Aaron showed up.

"Neil Josten, you know I can kick this door down," Kevin growled, his voice muffled by the wood. "Open up. We need to talk."

Allison would have said he sounded like a needy girlfriend. Jeremy would have said _just let him in!_ Neil weighed his options and decided he'd been through worse than Kevin wanting to talk about how sloppy his footwork was getting and opened the door.

"I'm at the point where I think you just do it to piss me off," Kevin snapped once Neil let him in. Well, Kevin more or less shouldered past him but whatever. "I mean, seriously? We played together in college and we were unstoppable." 

_Here it comes,_ Neil thought, bracing himself for the backhanded compliment Kevin was about to deliver.

"Now, you're just throwing in the- What is that?"

Neil blinked and looked down to where Kevin was pointing and picked up Day. The irony of the two of them in the same room was almost enough to make Neil crack a smile. “It's my cat."

"You-" Kevin narrowed his eyes, thick brows scrunching together. "You have a cat."

"Yes."

"Aren't you allergic?"

"No? That's Allison."

Kevin's brow furrowed further. He squinted at the cat and when Neil offered her for him to pat, he reeled back. "No. I'd rather not. Cats are-"

“Respectful,” Neil deadpanned. “Something you should learn to be."

"Speak for yourself," Kevin retorted, holding his scarred hand to his chest. Neil raised his eyebrows in motion for him to relax.

He swallowed when Neil placed Day in his hands. Neil shifted her so Kevin was cradling her properly and Kevin tried to meet her eyes out of fear. 

"You realise it's a kitten, right?" Neil asked cautiously. He folded his arms. "Not a bird. You won't die."

Kevin glared at him. "I know that. Quit the attitude. And I’m not afraid of birds.”

Neil went to take Day back but Kevin turned quickly. Neil was starting to regret giving her to him now; he was turning into an evil villain that spins around in leather chairs once you come home to your apartment late at night. 

"So you have a cat since the last time we spoke. No, I don't want to know why," Kevin quickly said when Neil opened his mouth. He blinked down at the cat and scratched her behind her ears. “What is her name?”

Neil had no idea how Kevin knew Day was a girl but he ignored it in favour of revealing his jab. “Day.”

Kevin stilled his petting and shifted to stare blankly at Neil. Neil didn’t bother to explain until Kevin got annoyed. Eventually, he opened his mouth to snap, “Did you name her just to spite me?“

Neil crossed his arms and stared up at him. “Yes.”

Kevin ignored Neil’s smug look and took a sharp breath. He moved towards Neil’s couch. “I didn’t come here for your latest friend. We’re settling this now. Sit down. I have our next opponents latest game and we are analysing it."

Neil's face dropped and he stared at Kevin. The striker met his glare with his own and rubbed Day behind her ears as she purred. Neil met Day's pleased expression and narrowed his eyes; he was learning quickly that Day would do anything for people to give her attention.

"I don't want to be here anymore than you do," Kevin said, crossing his legs and sitting like a regal queen. The irony of his position and the cat in his arms now got on Neil’s nerves. ”Let's get this over with, yes?"

Neil sighed and sat on the couch, ignoring Day's purring as much as he could and pushing down the pang of jealousy that his own cat liked Kevin Day better than him.

 

"Yes. Goodbye, Kevin."

Neil was obviously desperate to get rid of Kevin but there was only so much "Why can't you be more like Jeremy Knox?" in one sitting he could take.

Kevin turned on his heel to head towards the stairwell but he stopped and faced Neil again. Neil could tell he was choosing his words carefully.

"You need to be more cautious on the court," he said to him. "Abby said you'll turn her old if you keep being reckless."

"They get off my back, don't they?" Neil tried for a joke but Kevin frowned at him, clearly concerned for him.

"You know very well that your luck is going to run out one day. If you become injured on the court, we'll have to train up another striker who can match me while you're out and I'd rather not go through that again."

"Right," Neil muttered. He knew Kevin, in his own way, was just expressing his concerns. Neil was known to be risky with dodges and checks on the court and Abby did have a point; Neil was getting patched up far too much for her liking. But there was only so much someone with his height and stature could do to avoid getting crushed against the court walls.

"I'll try to work around it," Neil said, meeting Kevin's gaze firmly. The striker studied him for a moment longer before nodding curtly.

"And thank you," Kevin said after Neil turned. He glanced over his shoulder in confusion. "For reviewing things with me." Kevin swallowed. "I'm glad we could settle some techniques."

"It's okay." Neil blinked. "You don't need to thank me. Exy's my home too."

That made Kevin blink that time before he nodded hurriedly. "I'll see you soon, then. Goodbye."

Neil was about to close his door before Kevin stumbled back from the stairwell in surprise. Neil figured he might have come too close to someone around the corner of the stairwell but Kevin’s expression was too shocked to ignore.

Andrew rose up and met Kevin’s wide eyes with a glare. A cigarette was tucked behind his ear and his leather jacket was covered in raindrops. He tilted his head at Kevin and moved past him before opening his door and slamming it closed. 

Kevin came jogging back to Neil's apartment, his eyes still wide in shock. "Do you know him?” he asked, his eyes of Andrew’s door.

Neil frowned. "He's my neighbour. He has the other cat."

"I don't care about the damn cat," Kevin rushed out. "Do you know his last name? Did you have any idea you're living next to Andrew Minyard?"

Neil stared at Kevin. He knew Kevin had gushed over a goalkeeper by the name of Andrew Minyard back in college but they never got to sign him. Neil and Kevin had met through Wymack because Neil had been working under his high school coach as a backliner in high school. Wymack had scoped him out and Kevin had recognised him from his early days. The rest was history that Neil preferred not to think about.

Kevin knew who Neil was but he didn't speak a word. Neil had been training with the strikers on his high school team in case they needed a mediocre replacement and Kevin had seized that opportunity in college and trained Neil to what he was now.

Andrew Minyard never joined their team nor did he join the Ravens like Kevin had requested all those years ago. After college and playing on a Chicago college team with his twin brother and cousin, Andrew had basically packed up and disappeared, leaving his brother and cousin in Chicago. No one had seen him on an Exy field in almost two years after he graduated.

Neil didn't care much. He had never played against Andrew. His own team never made it far enough in high school and Andrew hadn’t played back then. Kevin had versed him a few times when he was with the Ravens but after he broke his hand and escaped to Palmetto, Andrew stopped travelling with his team. As far as anyone knew, he'd been kicked off it.

"And I'm supposed to do what?" Neil asked, his tone border lining a snap. "I get it; he was an exy legend. Probably still is. But he doesn't play anymore, Kevin. I never got to see him like you did."

"He could have been a Raven," Kevin whispered, staring at his door. "That's how good he was, Neil. Riko and I wanted him for the Ravens but he declined. He declined the Ravens.”

Neil had to admit, Andrew had balls to drop the Ravens on their ass with that offer. In the bottom of his stomach, he was grateful. Andrew didn't go through the trouble he had gone through with the Ravens. Neil had suffered along side Jean during college once Kevin had left before the Ravens were decommissioned under behaviour laws, freeing Jean from their grasps. Jean, Kevin and Neil had ended up on the same team after college, playing for their lives on terms they rightfully owned. 

"What do you want me to do, Kevin?" Neil asked softly, peering up at Kevin. He was trying to hide his frustration for the benefit of both of them. "He hasn't played in years. You said it yourself; after Chicago, he left the field for good."

"Neil, you don't understand." Kevin looked so desperate. Neil swallowed, leaned against his door frame and listened willingly for once in his life.

"Andrew was... He was Raven material, like I said. He would have made court with us if he had accepted. He would have been number five."

Neil dropped his eyes and shivered. Kevin had mentioned Andrew to him before but now that Neil had a chance to see Andrew without exy attached, he felt very different.

"It doesn't matter," Neil struggled out. "Riko is gone."

"I know." Kevin looked haunted. "Just... I'm looking back on what could have been. I haven't seen Andrew in so long but we weren't exactly friends. It's just... strange. To see him here. He remembered me, too. I saw it."

"Yeah." Neil took a deep breath to settle himself. "You should head home," he said softly. "I'll see you soon, Kevin. Have a good night."

"Yes." Kevin's voice was distant and he looked shaken. "Goodnight, Neil."

Neil softly closed his door and sunk down the length of it, letting Day climb into his lap. 

"You want to be my friend again?" Neil somehow mused when Day sensed his distress. She stared at him with wide eyes before ducking her head to steal a pet from his scarred hands.

"Don't leave me for Kevin," he said to her. He lifted her up and Day licked his nose. He managed a smile, distracting himself with her to kick his memories to the back of his head.

"He's not wrong."

Neil looked up and sprung to his feet, putting Day down and climbing out onto his fire escape. Andrew sat on the stairs of his fire escape, light rain battering his shoulders and looked at him, his eyes dark and unreadable.

"He did ask me to become a Raven," Andrew said quietly. His voice sounded dangerous. His hair stuck to his face but he didn’t bother to move it.

"But you said no," Neil prompted. He leant on the railing of his own fire escape to be closer to Andrew, to hear him better. He suppressed a shiver from the cold.

"I'll tell you," Andrew decided after a few moments, "but you owe me. Tell me something. Something equivalent to my own truth."

Neil ruffled around in his own head for something to tell Andrew. It was a hard game they were about to play but Neil always liked games. He could tell Andrew one of his names but that would give Andrew too much of an opening to further dive into his mind. His scars were another too obvious truth.

"I speak three languages," Neil said firmly, meeting his eyes. "German, French and Spanish. I learnt them because I was always on the move with my mother when I was younger. She died a few years ago, though. I speak French the most because Kevin also speaks it, along with my teammate, Jean.” He blew out a breath. “I’m trying to learn Russian at the moment.”

"Obvious," Andrew drawled. “Anyone with a taste of the sports life has seen you, Kevin and Jean talk on the court. That wasn't equal."

"I lived in Germany to escape my father," Neil confessed quickly. Andrew was about to shut him out and he wasn't ready to drop this conversation. He suppressed another shiver.

Andrew stared at him and raised his eyebrows, motioning for Neil to continue.

"He... My mother took me when I was young to get away from him," Neil offered quietly. "We were a team against him because my mother didn't want me to become the boy my father wanted me to be. When she died, I made a stupid mistake to stop running but Kevin found me. My father died in prison a few years back. I never thought I'd be free."

Neil left out the fact that his father was the Boston Butcher. There was no point in disclosing information that was secret to the government to Andrew who only wanted it as a fair trade for his own secrets. It wasn't important anymore, and Neil figured Andrew would see it that way too.

"Day contacted me with Riko to become a Raven when they saw me play in the final that cost my team their place in the championships," Andrew said. He lit up the cigarette that was behind his ear and took a drag before continuing. "They only offered for me to go to West Virginia, though. My brother and cousin were on my team and I refused because the Ravens wouldn't offer the same deal to them. That, and the Ravens really pissed me off.”

Andrew met Neil's eyes and blinked slowly, fitting puzzle pieces together. "You didn't become a Raven either."

Neil was stunned that Andrew even knew about that. "No. The Ravens were decommissioned before I ever got the chance."

"Look, say no and don't tell me why. Don't try and lie to me." Andrew's tone was dark. "Those scars on your cheeks say otherwise. That was a four, wasn't it?"

Neil didn't reply. Andrew knew a lot more than Neil first assumed. He twisted his mouth, tugging on the skin around the burn scar and gave a nod. "Number four. Starting backliner for the Ravens."

"That's all you had to say, little rabbit," Andrew mused, but there was no smile. "Though a backliner is strange. Last I heard, you and the Queen were tag team strikers. What was it they called you? Ah." Andrew's expression was dark. "Two sides of the same coin."

Neil studied him. "You don't scare me, Andrew."

"Pity." He shot a glare to the side of their building. 

"My turn now," Neil said and Andrew narrowed his eyes.

"Once is enough."

"But I'm just so full of secrets," Neil deadpanned, shrugging his shoulders. "What do you do now? If you're not the goalkeeper Kevin thought you could be."

"Not what he _thought,_ " Andrew snapped, which surprised Neil. He was _defensive._ "What I was. Not anymore." He ashed off in the plant again; Neil was surprised that thing wasn't dead yet. "And I'm a bartender. Who gave you the scars?"

Neil stared at him before blinking and looking at his hands. Aside from the scar on his cheek, Andrew could only see his hands that were calloused from exy and scarred from stumbling all across countries he never wanted to visit again. Broken fingers, bloody knuckles; all had healed but still cost him the skin on his hands, a reminder of his hardship and death wish from his father. Neil caught sight of his sleeve and cursed when he figured Andrew must have seen the burns that decorated his wrists and arms like fancy jewellery.

"My father," he replied and that's all he said. Andrew didn't push. “Is the blonde hair natural?”

Andrew glared at him, his eyebrows furrowed so deeply his eyes were almost hidden. "Yes. Is yours?"

"Yes." Neil tipped his head. "White platinum blonde. That's a hard colour to get naturally, let alone dyeing.”

“Lucky me.” Andrew’s voice was a snap. Neil glanced at Andrew's cigarette pack and the blonde stared blankly at him. He offered it with heavy reluctance and Neil took a stick from it.

Andrew watched with disgust as Neil lit up his cigarette and just let it burn in his hands. Neil didn’t say anything more as the rain got heavier and they both retreated inside. It was his turn for next time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bonjour, bitch.  
> it's me again lol. some of y'all were curious abt the cat names and i figured if neil had the chance to name them, he'd do smth like this. just to take a jab at kevin.  
> hope u enjoyed!  
> this one is a little text heavy but u get some insight abt the ravens! idk if i explained it well?? it makes sense to me yikes but comment or message me on tumblr if u need anything explained!
> 
> [my tumblr](https://batbrekker.tumblr.com)


	3. That's Kevin Day!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I know who he is,” Andrew snapped. He wasn’t an idiot. “Prince of Exy. Brother to Riko Moriyama. I don’t live under a rock.” Sure, he might not own a TV but he was almost an Exy star himself. He had to know what he was up against even if he didn’t have it in his drug induced mind to care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings for mentions of riko's suicide. it's mentioned only once directly by andrew but nothing goes into to detail. the conversation is about kevin and neil after riko passed.  
> it starts after -- He looked calm, surprisingly, and Allison was punching his arm. He raised his eyebrows when Neil muttered something and Allison laughed into her hand.
> 
> happy reading.

Andrew startled himself awake when something latched onto his foot. He sat upright, tearing his covered foot away from Queen’s claws and mouth. He stared at her, scowling as the tip of her tail twitched and she waited for Andrew’s next movement so she could pounce on him.

Andrew begged his heart to stop beating so fast. He was safe, in his own apartment, in his own bed, in New York, a town that barely knew him. His new cat that he had reluctantly taken from his new neighbour had startled him awake, nothing else. His knives were secured under his pillow and he could protect himself. 

He swallowed thickly and squeezed his eyes closed for a moment, finding Queen still staring at his bent leg under the covers.

Andrew stretched out his leg and the cat went for his calf, wrestling with it until she was sure it was pinned down. Andrew went still before raising his leg quickly, startling Queen enough that she jumped back. Her green eyes were trained on Andrew’s leg lump and the side of his mouth quirked up despite himself.

Andrew swished his leg under the covers until Queen and him both got tired. He almost gave himself a cramp and Queen had almost fallen out of the bed more than once. He laid back down, Queen crawling up to him and waiting for an invitation.

Andrew stared at her before sighing, patting his chest. She curled up onto it, his fingers scratching behind her ears until she fell asleep, purring under Andrew’s hand as his fingers scratched her ears. Andrew was surprised at how easily he fell asleep again with the kitten’s weight on his chest.

 

 

Andrew’s phone vibrated on his night stand and he woke quickly. Queen startled herself out of sleep and jumped off him, but she perched on the side of the bed instead of running away.

Renee’s contact was bright on his phone screen when he flipped it open, her message short and sweet.

 

_i hope i didn’t wake you. i was wondering if you’d be up for coffee today? 10? just a little catch up, nothing big. :)_

 

Andrew typed out yes and sent it, slamming his phone shut. She had woken him up but it was Renee, so he wasn’t going to be shitty about it. If it had been Nicky or even Boyd _(how did he get my number, anyway?)_ Andrew wouldn’t have even opened the message.

Andrew shrugged on his jacket after a shower, sliding down the wall to tug on his shoes and tie his laces. Queen waddled over to him and he looked at her after he yawned.

He had woken up later than he expected with Queen on his chest. He was still a bit shaken but he had managed to get through a whole night with Queen on his chest. That could count as progress, right?

Andrew didn’t really care. He no longer woke up in fits of fists and feet as he had done every time someone had woken him up in college. He just startled himself out of sleep and gathered his bearings before swinging. His reflexes were quick enough for that.

Renee had asked if he wanted to go for coffee in a new cafe she had found a few weeks ago but they had never made plans. This must have been the same cafe. Apparently, it served coffee as bitter as it could get, just the way she liked it, and massive creamers enough to fill Andrew’s with the sugary taste he desired.

Andrew pulled open his door and stepped out, eyeing something next to his feet. He discovered it was a litter box and narrowed his eyes.

Damn Neil and his off-handed cleverness. Andrew surprisingly had been getting away with his makeshift tray set up and even thought Queen wouldn’t need a proper one but then again, she was a kitten but Andrew was lost in the feline department. He still regretted ever taking her from Neil’s arms but she was growing on him fast. 

Andrew opened his door and pushed the litter box inside, straightening out his jacket and trudging out his apartment building. Renee would be waiting for him. He’d deal with the kitten later.

 

Renee ended up walking him back to his apartment building. It was late when they returned, even though they only intended to go for brunch. Renee had chattered on to him calmly, Andrew listening intently while she spoke about her church group and about her girlfriend. Andrew didn’t care for relationships but Renee’s girlfriend sounded snappy and bitchy, but not in a negative way. Andrew had no idea where to start with her but Renee seemed to like her so that was good enough judgement for him.

Andrew had suggested Renee dye her hair pink when she admitted she was getting bored of the blue in her hair. Renee had toyed with her blue ends before tilting her head.

“Like when I was in college?” she asked. Andrew had known her back then, as acquaintances and nothing more. But they had exchanged numbers at a game and the rest was history. Once Andrew had moved to New York, she was living in New Jersey so distance wasn’t too much of an issue. Renee had opened up to him and he had strangely trusted her enough to do the same. Renee moved down south to be closer to her mother during college but she still visited Andrew when she could, just like now. Only now, she was just living a train ride away.

“Yes,” Andrew answered simply. “Pink suits you more.”

Renee smiled softly at him. “I know. Thank you, Andrew.”

Renee bid him farewell at the base of his apartment building, the two of them fist bumping before Andrew nodded. Renee gave his shoulder blade a rub, always comforting on Andrew’s part and he waved to her. He waited until her taxi came and she got inside before he made the trek upstairs to his home.

Andrew didn’t smoke around Renee. He figured that though she wouldn’t be bothered it because it was him, it wasn’t pleasant. Even if they were outside, smoke went everywhere and Andrew had enough common sense to be cautious of where his smoke was blowing.

Renee had once told him that she smoked back when she was a teenager. Andrew thought she was lying but of course Natalie Shields had smoked. She had wielded a blade and cigarette, much like Andrew in the current day. Their parallels baffled him sometimes.

Andrew lit up once he was on his fire escape, sparing Neil a glance who was spying across the city landscape. He didn’t seem bothered when some of Andrew’s smoke drifted over to him so Andrew wasn’t bothered by it either.

“Cities are calming,” Neil said suddenly, his eyes fixed below. Andrew grunted his response, not bothering to give his heart a rush by looking down too. He didn’t mind the city, even if its constant noise sometimes drove him up a wall. It was distracting, though. Sometimes, the background noise of traffic helped ground him.

Soft music was playing from the apartment below them and Neil closed his eyes. He shot a glance at Andrew and nodded. Andrew threw his cigarette packet over to him and he caught it.

“What you do is a waste, by the way,” Andrew said. Neil lit up, somehow acquiring his own lighter since Andrew had last offered. “Lighting and letting it burn.”

“Thanks for your opinion,” Neil replied, doing the exact thing Andrew just commented on. “I didn’t ask.”

“Welcome.” Andrew caught his packet with one hand when it came flying back to him and Neil yawned as the cigarette burned down in his hand.

“How’s Queen?” Neil asked, his eyes trained on a traffic light. Queen must have heard him because she meowed from within the apartment. Andrew almost snapped back at her but Neil would have found a way to open his mouth about that.

“Still alive.” Neil licked his lips. “I’m surprised.”

 _Try my patience._ “I will throw you off this fire escape.”

“Try and reach me.”

Whether that was a short joke or not, Andrew wasn’t sure. It probably wasn’t, considering that Neil was only, what? Two or three inches taller than him? “Didn’t Kevin tell you not to underestimate me?” Andrew glared at him. Neil wasn’t giving anything away but Andrew could tell he was right. “You must have watched some tapes if Kevin is still as crazy as he was.”

“He’s obsessed,” Neil shrugged, flicking his cigarette to ash off.

“And you’re not?”

“I like Exy. That’s all.”

“That’s what they all say.” Andrew shook out his hand when it started to shake from the cold. “Junkies.”

“Look who’s talking,” Neil quipped. “The cigarettes aren’t healthy. Smoking kills, Minyard.”

Andrew clenched his jaw. “Bite me. I will throw you off that fire escape.”

Neil hummed, his scarred face bored. Andrew really hated that face.

 

 

“Late,” Boyd sang as Andrew punched in his starting time and shrugged off his jacket. He ignored Boyd as they set up, working in silence like they usually did. Their boss would be in soon to check up but then the bar would be theirs.

Andrew drew himself a shot glass and poured a shot of tequila for himself. Boyd watched him and sighed as Andrew knocked it back.

“You have to pay for that,” he said, leaning on the bar to rest his chin in his hand. Andrew shivered through the hit of the alcohol. When he met Boyd’s eyes with a glare, the tall man shrugged one shoulder and wiped down the bench.

The night was slow; Andrew found himself slipping back to his apartment as he made drinks. He annoyingly wondered if Queen was okay. He had left her with some food and a bit of water so she’d be okay for the night should she get hungry. He made sure the window was firmly closed before he left.

“Holy shit.” Boyd leaned in close, passing Andrew a shaker full of martini mix. He held the other in his hand. Andrew shook it before passing it back and Boyd knocked them together and poured them both. He handed them to the two women at the bar and they smiled as they left, his eyes fixed elsewhere. “That’s _Kevin Day.”_

“Who?” Andrew snapped, pretending ignorance, his eyes following Boyd’s hand to the crowd. Sure enough, Kevin in all his dark skin and slanted eyes was there, side eyeing another two people. Andrew recognised them as Allison Reynolds, Kevin’s dealer and-

“Neil Josten!” Boyd exclaimed in his ear, startling Andrew slightly. Andrew side stepped him and filled up an pint of beer for a regular and handed it to him. They nodded to each other. 

“You know them right? Or are you not a sports person?” Boyd asked, grabbing two glasses and dodged Andrew as he slipped under the obnoxiously tall man. “You kinda look it, but I’m never sure. Do you watch Exy?”

Andrew raised his eyebrows as he shook another martini and shot Boyd a look. He wasn’t going to try and talk over the music, even though it was never loud, but Boyd didn’t know that. Boyd slid next to him and dropped two olives into Andrew’s glasses and they rested them on a tray.

“Well, Kevin Day is-“

“I know who he is,” Andrew snapped. He wasn’t an idiot. “Prince of Exy. Brother to Riko Moriyama. I don’t live under a rock.” Sure, he might not own a TV but he was almost an Exy star himself. He had to know what he was up against even if he didn’t have it in his drug induced mind to care.

“Did you play?” Boyd asked, smiling. He looked smug. “In high school or something?”

Andrew rolled his eyes. He had opened this can of worms and he didn’t want to talk to Boyd about it, of all people. “Jeremy Knox is rumoured to be the next captain,” he said, instead, hoping it would tie Boyd over.

“My girlfriend teaches little leagues,” Boyd said.

 _Good for her._ Andrew slumped his shoulders when Boyd opened his mouth again.

“I played in college, too. I was a backliner.” Boyd clenched his fingers like he was holding a racquet. Old habits never died, he supposed. Andrew knew that feeling all too well. “I wrenched my shoulder, though. I could have gone pro but there’s no place for people who won’t put their all into it. I gotta praise Day for that.”

Andrew looked out and found Kevin’s profile in one of the booths. He looked calm, surprisingly, and Allison was punching his arm. He raised his eyebrows when Neil muttered something and Allison laughed into her hand.

“After Riko’s suicide,” Andrew said, “what was he like?” He knew the answer but it would be different coming from Boyd’s mouth. From an Exy fan, it was always different.

Boyd scrubbed a hand over his face, slowly flipping a glass over and filling it with ice. He looked disturbed. “He was a wreck-“

“Even after Riko was exposed?” Andrew interrupted.

“Yeah.” Boyd swallowed and pursed his lips. “He couldn’t let him go, I guess. They were brothers, after all. No matter what was said, I think Kevin still loved him. But he’s playing better now. After Evermore was exposed and Moreau got out, everything improved. Dan - my girlfriend - said that Kevin’s never looked brighter on the court nowadays. That Josten kid was a really good investment for Kevin.”

Andrew nodded. He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. He watched Neil as he scratched his cheek, Allison slapping his hand away. Neil nodded at something Kevin said before shifting out of the booth with him. Allison flipped out a mirror from her bag and flicked some hair out of her face.

“They’re coming over here,” Boyd hissed while Andrew rolled his eyes again. Neil was an idiot, if anything. Boyd didn’t know that, but Andrew wasn’t about to tell him that the guy Boyd was obviously crushing on was his next door neighbour.

“What if they order?” Boyd asked hurriedly. Andrew squinted at him.

“You serve them. That’s your _job._ ” Andrew turned before Boyd could call him back and leaned over the bar to catch a woman’s order. She was lovely enough, handing him the right change and he passed her a pint of beer once he filled it. She thanked him and he nodded to her, somehow making her smile grow.

Boyd walked over and swapped with him. Andrew tried to stop him but Boyd looked shaken. Andrew caught Kevin’s gaze and met him head on.

“What did you say to him?” Andrew growled. Kevin stared at him in disbelief whilst Neil did the same but his look disappeared quite suddenly. Andrew had told him he was a bartender, just not where.

“I didn’t say anything,” Kevin said, waving his hand. He talked like he owned the place. “I asked for alcohol.”

Andrew blinked slowly and Kevin shied from his gaze. “For yourself.”

Kevin shook his head while Neil pressed forward. He squeezed himself against Kevin and the wall to avoid touching anyone else. He didn’t look that bothered by being pushed up against Kevin.

“Six shots and a appletini,” Neil said simply.

Andrew raised his eyebrow and jerked his chin towards Allison in question. 

Neil shook his head, somehow knowing where he was motioning to. “No. Appletinis are actually really nice.”

Andrew didn’t expect that from Neil but he had to agree silently. Appletinis were nice if they were made right. Then again, he didn’t know how Boyd screwed up equal parts vodka and apple juice with a bit of sugar syrup.

Andrew rested the appletini on the top of the bar and picked up six shot glasses. He filled them and lifted them onto the tray one by one, never breaking eye contact with Kevin.

“Thank you,” Kevin said, his voice strained, “Andrew.”

Andrew raised an eyebrow. He gave a curt nod before turning, wrenching the bar gun system and spraying it into a pint glass. Boyd slid him a glass of vodka and he switched the gun to raspberry lemonade and slid it back to him once it was full. 

Seeing Kevin again sparked things in Andrew that he’d much rather forget. Neil hadn’t come until later in the years of Kevin’s time in the Ravens. Kevin had somehow escaped the Nest after his hand was broken, Neil following him after him a few months later if Andrew was right in piecing that together. Jean Moreau was left to deal with Riko until the Ravens were decommissioned and he was released to the Trojans with help from Neil, Kevin and their coach, Wymack. Jeremy Knox and Moreau went on to join Kevin’s team after college. Moreau was a backliner with Sara Alvarez and Laila Derrmott in goals. Allison was their dealer and doubled as a backliner if they needed it. Alvarez doubled as a dealer too, along with countless other recruits. But the main focus was Neil and Kevin’s partnership.

Andrew could have been in Palmetto easily. He most likely would have been on that court instead of Laila. It was strange to imagine being behind Kevin and Neil without Aaron and Nicky to flank him. All Andrew knew when he denied Kevin’s pestering for the Ravens and for the Foxes was that he couldn’t leave his family, even with his and Aaron’s fractured relationship. It had admittedly gotten better and after Nicky had moved to Germany permanently, they only had each other in Chicago. 

Nicky had graduated and Andrew let him go to Erik in Germany, no strings attached. He still visited, hence the phone call a few days prior. It was usually to see his old college friends or travelling on business but he always stopped by to check on Aaron with Katelyn or Andrew with whatever he was doing.

Kevin stared at him before looking away. “You and Neil know each other.”

“Unfortunately,” Andrew said tightly. Neil had the audacity to look offended with a raised eyebrow but he rolled his eyes.

“Neighbours,” Neil said. “That’s it.”

“Why are you in New York?” Kevin blurted to Andrew. “What happened in Chicago?”

Andrew raised his eyebrows. How dare he ask such a question? After Kevin’s hand was broken, Andrew had more or less pieced together that it had to have been Riko. Kevin ran off to Palmetto, Neil making his debut as a striker soon after joining Kevin’s Foxes. Andrew had cost his team a shot at championships and since Nicky was going to be graduating in the coming years, Andrew focused more on recovering for himself and fixing his and Aaron’s relationship. Once Nicky was gone, the twins would only have each other so their therapist, Betsy Dobson, had focused on that plug and yanked it out into the open.

Once he had graduated, he ran off to New York. It was either that or San Fransisco and he wasn’t ready for that town yet. First job he got given was the bar he worked at now and he didn’t plan on screwing it up. He felt strange relief when he found out Aaron had moved to upstate Brooklyn; he was closer and Andrew could at least watch over him. 

“I live here,” Andrew replied tartly, crossing his arms again.

“But you’re from Chi-“

“I moved.” 

Neil tugged on Kevin’s jacket. “Allison will get upset. Let’s go.” He glanced at Andrew but turned before he could catch Andrew’s glare.

Kevin lingered, meeting Andrew’s eyes. “We could still play-“

“I don’t play, Kevin,” Andrew hissed. “I have not since college.” Exy might have been the only thing that distracted him from his drugs in college but once he went through that hell of rehab, he dropped Exy as soon as he was out of college. Aaron never picked up a stick again, same with Nicky. 

“Right.” Kevin averted his eyes and Andrew hated how small he looked. “See you around, then.”

Easy defeat not best fit for a queen. Andrew watched him leave as he leaned against the bar.

“What did he say to you?” Boyd asked once he took two strides over. Andrew watched the back of Neil’s auburn head and he shook his head. Boyd dropped it and sighed softly.

“They’ll be back,” Boyd said, though he didn’t sound upbeat about it. “How was that Josten kid? He seemed okay.”

“He’s an idiot,” Andrew replied and didn’t comment anymore when Boyd shot him a look. His shift was over soon and he intended to go straight home. 

Neil caught his gaze before Andrew could look away but Andrew only narrowed his eyes and finished a drink order. Neil’s attention was caught by Kevin again and he turned in his seat to face him.

“Do you know him?” Boyd asked and Andrew didn’t grace him with a response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello friends im back for round three. this chapter is a little shorter than usual, i know, but i wanted to space out my updates because i'm coming into exam season for school rn. i have another chapter prewritten so don't worry about next week but i wanted more time to polish off the chapter after that.  
> but at least you get some more andrew back story!
> 
> come talk to me on tumblr aaa [here](https://batbrekker.tumblr.com)


	4. Forty-four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crossing the road was a hassle even after Neil became familiar with New York or Brooklyn and it was still foreign to walk against the lights even after Jeremy had told him it was fine as long as you didn’t get hit.
> 
> “If there’s no cars, just walk,” Andrew muttered to him once they stopped at another light. They weren’t walking because the light was green and cars were speeding past. “Simple. If you get hit, you’re an idiot.”

Neil didn’t intend to stay long at the bar but Kevin seemed reluctant to leave. He wasn’t drunk, but Allison surely was. She had ended up stealing Neil’s appletini, which he didn’t mind, but she also hadn’t eaten since four o’clock that day so the alcohol hit her faster than she had intended.

“I’ll take her home,” Kevin had said, looking quite sorry for her as she dozed on his shoulder. Over the years, they had gotten closer than anyone thought they could. Allison had claimed she’d rather slam her tongue in a car door than be Kevin’s girlfriend or even friend when the press suggested such a thing.

But there she was, asleep on Kevin’s shoulder and looking quite pleased about it. Kevin jostled her softly and she blinked her eyes open before scowling.

“I’m taking you home,” Kevin told her. Allison stared at him before scoffing.

“Thanks, but I have a girlfriend.” Allison held her hand up and looked rightfully offended. Neil snorted.

“Like I’d try anything,” Kevin replied snappily. “Are you coming, Neil?”

“I think I should get back that appletini that was stolen from me,” Neil commented. Allison looked as innocent as someone like her could possibly look.

“Yeah, you should get that back,” Allison smiled, her eyes half-lidded. “Heard she’s a real bitch.”

Neil hummed, stacking the shot glasses on the tray. He nodded to them as Allison pulled herself out of the booth. She slapped Kevin’s hand away from her shoulder but took a few minutes to right herself. Kevin was tipsy but not tipsy enough to be stumbling.

“We’re good,” Allison hissed. Kevin didn’t say anything. Neil watched them heard out of the bar and pulled himself over to the bar.

Andrew must have been on break because he wasn’t there when Neil wedged himself against the wall again. The big bartender with spiky hair came over to him, flashing him a smile.

“What can I get you, Mister Josten?”

Neil blinked, frowning. “How do you know my name?”

“Oh.” The bartender - Boyd, he must have been. Andrew had snapped at a Boyd on the phone. “Big fan of Exy, you know? No trouble, though. I’m here to do my job, not ask for an autograph.”

Neil managed a little quirk of his lip. “I appreciate that. Can I have an appletini?”

“Sure thing!” Boyd smiled. “I’m Matt, by the way. Matt Boyd.”

“Neil Josten,” he replied, shaking Matt’s massive hand. Matt got to work on his drink, taking a lot of precaution when pouring the vodka and schnapps. Neil was happy to see the small amount he put in. He didn’t like drinking to get drunk, or even drinking at all, but appletinis were nice every now and again and he hadn’t drunk anything besides water that night. He’d be safe.

The clock above the bar told him it was a couple minutes past one. Neil didn’t have practise but he would have to be at the airport in a few days. Even then, he could risk the late night. Kevin would still be up early with him to go running so he put his thoughts to rest.

“Andrew’s a lot better at these,” Matt said as he rested the drink in front of Neil. “But we make them differently.” 

The bar was slightly empty but some of the tables were still filled with people and groups of girls drinking colourful slushes. Neil knew that there was only vodka, some kind of apple liquor and apple juice with a dash of sugar syrup in appletinis so he was slightly confused as to how Matt could screw that up but he was the one who was worried about how much alcohol was actually going into it, so he dropped it.

“He should be back soon,” Matt said. “You guys seem to know each other. I never picked Andrew to have friends.”

That was borderline rude. “Andrew is my next door neighbour.” 

Matt’s eyes widened. “Andrew is your what now?”

“Next door neighbour.” Neil stared at Matt until the bartender gave a _huh_ and nodded. Andrew came back and instead of opening the bar, he just threw himself over it, landing neatly on his feet and shaking out his arms. He swiftly ignored Neil’s presence but what Kevin had said to him seemed to have struck a nerve, even if Kevin had only been pushing with minimal words.

Neil swirled the liquid in his glass, leaning his cheek on his hand. Matt passed him a glass of water and he nodded to him. 

Andrew stood in the middle of the bar, only moving when there was an order to be made or when Matt had to move past him. He spared Neil a glance and met Neil’s eyes.

“If Kevin said anything to you, just ignore him,” Neil found himself saying.

“It was a plan to ignore you too,” Andrew huffed. He sighed and pulled himself over to Neil, resuming his crossed arms position and staring out into the dim lighting of the bar.

“He doesn’t mean harm,” Neil said slowly. He knew Kevin wanted to talk but his attitude came across as harsh to those who weren’t use to it. Then again, Andrew’s attitude was harsh too.

Andrew’s face twisted and he scoffed. “Thanks for your input, Josten.”

People filed out of the bar whilst Matt began sweeping up. He waved Andrew off but Andrew didn’t seem eager to stick around anyway. Neil finished off his water and paid for all the drinks he and Kevin had ordered that night. 

The air was warm when he left the bar. Andrew wore armbands and he wondered if they made him hot. Andrew surely did have a look, with his leather jackets and black based clothes. Neil didn’t like bright colours but according to Allison, he pulled off blue quite well.

Neil debated on whether to roll up his sleeves but he decided against it. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and was pleased to find that Allison had made it home safely and was texting him in short bursts.

 

_1:49AM_

_kvin is gon sleep on my coach_

_couch*****_

_u good b??_

 

_yes,_ Neil replied quickly. _im heading home now. talk tomorrow_

 

_it’s 1,_ Allison replied and Neil could tell she was laughing. _night neilsten_

 

Neil pocketed his phone and shook out his sleeves, hoping he wouldn’t overheat despite the weather being a little damp. The walk home wasn’t long and New York was always lit up like a Christmas tree so Neil wouldn’t have any problems finding his way back. He shoved his hands into his pockets and crossed the street.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he sighed when he saw it was Kevin. He answered it anyway.

_“Neil? Are you there?”_

Neil looked around him as he stopped at the crossing. He could walk against the light but decided it was safer not to. “Allison won’t sleep?”

_“No. Her girlfriend punched me.”_

“She’s there?” Neil didn’t dare to admit how much he wanted to see Kevin get punched. Kevin sounded winded.

_“Yes. And now I’m going home.”_

“She wouldn’t let you stay on the couch?”

_“She was very happy to let me after punching me but I decided to decline.”_

“That’s probably best.” A car honked as it glided past Neil and he shot it a dirty look. He looked around him again to make sure nothing would hit him if he stepped out onto the road and stopped short.

Andrew had come out of the bar, running a hand through his hair as he headed the same direction as Neil. Of course he was heading the same way. They lived next to each other.

“I have to go,” Neil said and Kevin sputtered until hanging up the phone cut him off.

Andrew stood next to him at the crossing and didn’t look twice as he stepped out into the road. Neil walked next to him, trying to figure out how Andrew did that so easily. If he wasn’t raised in New York, how did he act like such a natural?

Neil hadn’t been living in New York for long but Allison had grown up in Brooklyn and always invited him for Christmas with her aunt and uncle. He had only gone once but that ended up being New Years with her high school friends too and whilst Neil didn’t fit in with the crowd she had grown up with, it was still good to see her roots. 

Crossing the road was a hassle even after Neil became familiar with New York or Brooklyn and it was still foreign to walk against the lights even after Jeremy had told him it was fine as long as you didn’t get hit.

“If there’s no cars, just walk,” Andrew muttered to him once they stopped at another light. They weren’t walking because the light was green and cars were speeding past. “Simple. If you get hit, you’re an idiot.”

“Simple,” Neil echoed bitterly. Andrew checked both sides when they came up to another intersection and he crossed easily with Neil in tow. Even though Andrew was a short man, he walked extremely fast.

“How does Matt screw up appletinis?” Neil asked once they finally got stuck at a busy intersection. 

Andrew’s eyes were scanning the line of taxis when he replied. “Why do you even like appletinis?”

Neil shrugged. “Why do you like mixing drinks?”

A muscle in Andrew’s cheek twitched. “No one said that.”

“You seem to like it enough.”

“You don’t seem to know when to shut up.”

“Attitude problem.”

Andrew scoffed. “Boyd fucks up appletinis by adding too much vodka. If you were watching him, he has to monitor how much he puts in.”

“But it’s equal parts.” Neil frowned. “That shouldn’t be that hard.”

“It’s not,” Andrew replied. “Not even I know how he screws it up.”

“The one he gave me tonight was nice.”

“Then you should tell him that.”

“Maybe I will.” 

Judging by the deadpan look on Andrew’s face, it seemed Andrew wanted anything else besides Neil showing back up at his work. He shot Neil a look before sharply turning the corner. His hood bobbed against his back as he flicked it to rest comfortably.

Andrew took a breath through his nose. “Answer the question. Why do you like appletinis?” He finally looked at Neil once they stopped.

Neil shrugged. “They’re nice. Sometimes they’re really sour which I don’t like very much. I don’t drink much, so it’s nice to have something that doesn’t taste like vodka.”

“Apple schnapps masks it,” Andrew said as he pushed the crossing button. His shoulders were eased. “Vodka and apple schnapps together is fine.”

“But can’t you make it with another sweetener too?” Neil asked. He really was blank when it came to alcohol that you couldn’t use as disinfectant. “What is it called?”

“There is more than one.” Andrew scratched his ear, flicking one of his earrings around. “Triple sec, Cointreau, the list goes on.”

Neil blinked. “Triple sec sounds like it should be sour. Have you ever had chocolate liquors?”

“Godiva tastes like shit,” Andrew growled. “White chocolate is disgusting and they went and made it a liquor. No.” He looked offended even mentioning the name of the alcohol but Neil couldn’t be sure that he had ever had Godiva.

Andrew opened the door to their apartment building and Neil stepped in. It was colder inside so he was grateful for his long sleeves. Andrew pressed his back against the elevator wall and Neil pressed the button for their floor.

Andrew stopped short at his door and Neil saw the litter box he had left before leaving for his morning run inside his apartment. He picked it up and Neil thought he might throw it back at him but all he did was hold it up, wave it a little and nod to what Neil assumed was his apartment window.

Neil clambered out to his fire escape and sat on the stairs. Andrew closed his own window when Queen appeared and Neil gave her a little wave.

Andrew offered his cigarettes but Neil shook his head. Andrew chewed through two sticks until he stopped, letting the third one burn slowly between his fingers, occasionally taking a drag from it. 

“What’s the most goals have you saved in one game?”

Andrew blinked slowly. He seemed to be thinking about something. Eventually, he said, “I don’t think it is your turn in this game.”

“I like games. Is that greedy?”

“Very.”

“Then ask me a question.”

“Who said I wanted to?”

“You just asked me one.” Andrew rolled his eyes while Neil smirked. He drummed his scarred fingers on his knees. Andrew stubbed out his cigarette in the pot plant that had finally started to go black at the edge of its petals.

“Why Russian?” he asked and Neil pursed his lips.

“There’s not much of an answer for that,” he said slowly. “German was because of school, Spanish was because of my minor in college and French was because of Jean and Kevin. Russian was something I couldn’t associate with anything from my past.”

Andrew knew of what the Ravens were. It was impossible to not know of the horrible things they had done and Neil hadn’t bothered to hide his feelings for the Ravens whilst with the Foxes and Kevin. Ever since Riko had shown up on Kathy’s show back in college, Neil didn’t give a shit who knew about him. He didn’t give a shit who heard his opinions or who tried to dismiss his accusations.

He didn’t have any doubts that Andrew had seen that interview. Riko had shoved Neil into a room and almost cut him to ribbons afterwards but Jean had surprisingly been the one to knock on the door and claim that it was time to go because Tetsuji was getting frustrated. Jean later told him once they met on good terms that he had been lying. _I would not let him do that to you._

_I can’t respond to that,_ Neil had said to him, staring at the court in front of them as they sat on the bench. Their voices had echoed off the walls of the empty stadium, Jean’s accent slipping from his fatigue.

_You do not have to,_ Jean said softly. _We are partners once again, that is all. I do not want you pity or your gratitude. We play for our lives._

Neil made a promise to Jean that even though he was no longer a backliner, they would still take care of each other. After Neil worked with Wymack to expose the Ravens, he knew that Jean was waiting for him. Riko couldn’t take Neil on considering the exposure he had already given the Ravens and Neil had been pleased by that. Riko, a king, was defenceless within his own Evermore castle.

Jean and Neil didn’t needed each other but after the Ravens torture and Riko’s death, Kevin, Jean and Neil had all been invisibly tied together and they didn’t plan on letting go. They played for Ichirou now, but even then, Ichirou had a lot more investments that made him a lot more money. They were safe.

“I’ve always wanted to learn Latin, actually,” Neil said quietly. Latin would be interesting. “But it’s a dead language,” he added. “Learning it would be impossible.”

Andrew tilted his head. “School is not an option.”

Neil hummed. He was a professional athlete. It would be possible but it’d be extremely difficult unless he took online lessons. Travelling would get in the way too. 

He blinked when a sudden realisation dawned on him. “Day will be alone when I’m gone.”

“That is typically how death works,” Andrew said bluntly. Neil shook his head.

“I leave for two weeks to play,” Neil said. “Day will be alone in that time.”

Andrew leaned against the brick wall and crossed his legs. He closed his eyes as Neil debated on what to do. He snapped his head up and Andrew opened his eyes to meet his gaze.

“You were supposed to take both cats from your brother, right?”

 

***

 

Andrew’s eyes narrowed and he scowled at Neil. He had enough trouble with one cat and it had yet to do anything remotely bad to piss him off. Queen was good with him for the most part; she didn’t scratch anything up and she didn’t get in his way when he had to cook. She was growing on him slowly but surely, and he didn’t need Day to come and screw that all up.

“I will kill both of them,” he deadpanned. Neil rolled his eyes.

“Right. I believe you less every time you say that.” He pushed himself off the stairs and leaned on the railing. “Please? Just for a week or so.”

Andrew’s eye twitched. “I don’t like that word.”

Neil nodded, not even bothering to question it. Andrew frowned. “Then, thanks in advance.”

“Do not shove your cat onto me.”

“If you think about it, I’m technically shoving your own cat back onto you.”

Andrew squinted. If he was going to be a smartass, he could get on that big tin can in the sky with a black eye. He pulled himself up and leaned on his own railing, eye to eye with Neil. “What could possibly be in it for me?”

Neil pursed his lips, blue eyes bright in the dark. “My autograph.”

“Don’t want it.”

“My compassion,” he tried.

Andrew raised an eyebrow.

“My gratitude.”

Andrew moved to open his window.

“Another truth?”

Andrew looked at him, his eyes narrowed. Neil wasn’t giving away anything in his expression. 

“I’ll save it for later,” Andrew decided finally. Neil nodded curtly.

“Can I use mine now, then?”

“Only if it’s not stupid.”

“How many goals have you saved in one game?”

Andrew schooled his expression into blankness. “Forty-four.” His reply held no invitation. 

Forty-four had been the number carved into his head since that game. Whilst the _two_ on Kevin’s cheek was something no one in the Exy world could ever forget, _forty-four_ had cost Andrew, Aaron and Nicky their shot at championships. He couldn’t save more. He wasn’t strong enough at the time to.

He had saved more than that over his years in the goals. _Way_ more. Forty-four had nothing compared to the amount he had saved put together. But forty-four had been the number he’d lost to.

Andrew had been going through withdrawal at the time, playing a full game off his meds before rehab. It was their one shot at championships and everyone knew that if they wanted to succeed, Andrew had to be in that goal. The freshman goalie who played the second halves in place of Andrew wouldn’t come close to protecting that goal. 

After the game, Aaron had been the one to carry him off, Nicky covering for him as his team filed off the court with their heads bowed. Andrew had been yelled at by one of the strikers before he slipped into the supply closet but Aaron had punched him square in the nose whilst Andrew had been asleep at the back of the bus. No one knew the extent of the withdrawal besides his family. All the team gathered was that he had extremely fatigued afterwards, not that he was on the verge of vomiting if he looked at a bright light. He was shaking when Aaron came to him and he was forced to accept Aaron’s help to get off that court.

No one had woken him up that day. He had just simply slept in the bus. He woke up in a fit, thrashing out at no one. Aaron was in the seat in front of him, asleep with his hood pulled over his head and the sun was beginning to rise. Coach had left them in the bus with Nicky asleep on the floor, the cousins all together with the door locked from the inside.

Aaron woke up shortly later, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He met Andrew’s gaze and closed his eyes again, leaning against the bus seat. He nudged his foot onto Nicky’s face and their cousin sputtered awake, smacking his head on the chair and groaning. Aaron had sparked a small smile at that and made his way to the front of the bus, opening up the doors and all three of them returned to their dorm to sleep in a bed they called theirs for the time being.

Aaron had never brought up that game again. Neither had Nicky or the rest of the team. Someone had taken a photo of the bloody nose Aaron had given the striker and Nicky still had it saved to his phone to this day. 

“Forty-four,” Neil echoed. He thought about it for a second before nodding, looking mildly impressed. Junkie. “Why didn’t you go pro?”

Andrew ignored him. Neil seemed to get the hint. He flicked open his cigarette box before pocketing it again. He needed to keep his hands busy.

“Will you take Day?”

“I never said that.”

“You took my truth. You’ll cash it later but in order for it to be an even trade, you have to take Day.”

“I just gave you a truth,” Andrew replied. “You taking my cat would be the even trade.”

“So you admit she’s yours now?” Neil mused.

Andrew stared at him. Neil stared right back before yawning. His eyes watered a little and he sniffed, rubbing his eye. Andrew scowled.

“I have work tomorrow night,” he said.

“Key under the mat,” Neil said easily. “Now you can kill me if you still really want to.”

“I hate you.” Andrew knew Neil would throw it off but he knew his growl didn’t fall on deaf ears. Neil raised his eyebrows and did not look impressed or convinced but he clicked his tongue and watched the rest of the traffic past by. He absentmindedly scratched his scar before closing his eyes and dropping his hand. He fiddled with his sleeves a little, tugging at a fraying string. 

Neil Josten was an enigma. Andrew didn’t know if he liked equations enough to figure him out or hated equations enough to drop Neil before he got too invested.

Andrew watched the traffic with him, his mind focusing on his fear of heights instead of Neil Josten opposite him. 

The human brain was a tedious thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hello sorry i didn't update on wednesday! i'm halfway through exams so whoops.  
> more backstory,, mostly on neil's part abt the ravens but some more abt andrew's meds. and plans for the future with the cats!
> 
> apologies if im late updating again next week. i finish my exams next week and the next chapter isn't finished but i hope i can work on it soon <3 feedback is always welcome! i hope y'all enjoyed kevin <3 he'll be back soon.


	5. Boston Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But that was none of Allison’s business. It was in the past and Neil was an expert about running from his past. Andrew was sober now, away from Exy and away from Riko. He was a different man, one that never went through Riko’s torment and torture. 
> 
> Andrew Minyard was the man who said fuck you to Riko Moriyama and Neil didn’t think he could ever let that go. He deserved respect for that in Neil’s books and he was known as the one who handed Riko his own ass on a silver platter on national TV on more than one occasion.

Kevin chattered on into his ear, most likely aware that Neil was not listening to him. He kept going while Jeremy smirked at him, nodding along to whatever Kevin was saying.

They were boarding the plane to go to Boston, Neil fortunately in front of Kevin now and searching through the aisles for his seat. Kevin continued to annoy him but Neil was happy to ignore it, so long as Jeremy kept him busy and mostly off his back.

“Aw, but you gotta give him a break, don’t you?” Jeremy said softly, using a gentler version of his “captain” tone. Neil realised that Kevin was chastising him. _Again._ “Neil works just fine. He’s a tiny little pocket rocket if I’ve ever seen him, ain’t he?”

“Tiny, yes,” Jean commented from behind them, throwing himself into his seat. His eyes found the the safety manual all planes had and he pulled it out, most likely reading the French version to point out petty mistakes if there was any. He did it every time they were on a plane even though all safety manuals were the same. 

Jeremy licked his lips to suppress a chuckle, sitting himself down next to him. They always sat together on planes. “You still doing that? French got you caught up in this country, huh?”

“Country.” Jean looked up to the back of the seat in front of him and sighed. “You are country.”

“Yes,” Jeremy told him seriously, meeting his gaze. They had the tendency to stare at each other with blank faces until the other one snapped.

Kevin took in an annoyed breath when he finally saw that Jeremy wasn’t going to pay attention to him for the rest of the plane ride. Neil hid his smirk, hoping that finally Kevin would shut up.

Allison clambered loudly down the aisle of the plane, sitting backwards on one of the chairs to look down at Neil. “You better keep him quiet,” she said, pointing at Kevin. “It may only be an hour to Boston but I will not stand for it.”

“You can’t stand on planes,” Kevin muttered and Neil tipped his head in silent agreement. It was fun to push Allison’s buttons as long as they didn’t genuinely piss her off. If they did, the silent treatment just ended up getting annoying because she could hold it for an ungodly amount of time.

“Well, you’re advised not to,” Kevin clarified while Allison soured. “Where are Dermott and Alvarez?” he asked, pushing himself up to look over the seats.

“Right here, tough guy,” Alvarez chirped further down the aisle, coming from the back of the plane. She jumped herself into the seats behind them. She sat up like Allison and ruffled Kevin’s hair from above. Laila pushed her carry on bag into the overhead locker and sat down next to her, flashing a small smile.

“Don’t,” Kevin said, holding up a hand to stop the backliner. Alvarez moved to do it again but he dodged her by pressing himself to the corner of the seat in front of him. Alvarez barked a laugh and flicked her wrist, her bracelets clicking together loudly.

“Give him a break,” Laila said gently, laying her hand on Alvarez’s arm. “He’s tired.”

“From what?” Allison snapped, glancing between the two strikers. “Late night practise sessions _again?”_ She looked directly at Neil when she spoke. That offended him more.

“Me,” Jeremy said before Neil could say anything. “I was at the practise. And Jean too but he stayed on the bench.”

“Some of us enjoy sleeping,” Jean deadpanned while Laila smiled at him. The previous Trojans were close, making room for the Fox trio when they ended up on the same team. It wasn’t as if they were the only ones on the team. Macintosh, a backliner filed in behind Jeremy and Jean with Davies and Jackson too, two dealers like Allison. More of the team fit in, filing up to a solid number of seventeen. They were small but in no way weak. With Kevin Day and Neil Josten fronting, it was hard to be seen as weak. Not all of them got to play at the same time but Jean was usually on the court as his previous training was too good to bench.

“If there’s an interview,” Jeremy said, forever the future captain, “can you not hand the other team their asses on a silver platter, Josten?”

“But it’s so fun,” Neil said, tilting his head at them. Jean snorted and looked out the window to avoid Jeremy’s pathetic sunshine glare.

“I know, buddy.” Jeremy patted his shoulder softly with a sigh. “But as much as I appreciate you, you are going to turn this boy grey before he’s twenty-four.” He pointed to himself and smiled.

“Aren’t you twenty-seven?” Allison asked, leaning on her arm with a smirk. It was a running joke within their team as there were some people who still couldn’t figure how old some of them were. Davies mistook Neil for being nineteen when he first met him. “We’ve all been there, honey.”

“He is twenty-eight,” Jean said absentmindedly, earning a look of betrayal from Jeremy. He squinted back at him. “What? _I_ am twenty-four.”

“And I’m twenty-three,” Neil deadpanned. “Why are you upset?”

“I’m almost thirty!” Jeremy yelled. He silenced the cabin and swallowed, waving to people who shot him looks. “Imagine that,” he grimaced. “I’m the eldest of the team.”

“No,” Kevin dismissed easily. “Davies is thirty-one.”

“And I’ll kick your ass if you bring it up again,” Davies replied snappily from behind them.

“Why are you so fragile about your age?” Jean hissed, leaning towards him. Jeremy let out a soft sigh.

Allison sniffed and flipped her hands around. “We all die, Knox. You are just a few steps closer than all of us.”

Neil settled into his seat while Jeremy huffed and sputtered at Allison from across the aisle. He stared ahead and eventually closed his eyes, listening to the repeated safety drills he had heard too many times for one lifetime. Planes surprisingly didn’t make him think of his mother. They only made him think of the amount of language he could understand just by scanning the subtitles of the safety programmes.

Kevin shifted next to him throughout the drills and Neil could tell he wanted to ask him something. Neil didn’t bother to help him out, Kevin opening and closing his mouth in attempts to spit something out. It made him feel satisfied.

“Oh my god,” Alvarez whispered harshly from the crack in between their seats. “Just throw him a bone, Josten. He looks like a little kid in a candy shop, waiting to ask his mom to buy him something.”

Despite the absurd simile, Kevin fixed his stare on Neil, an eyebrow raised in question. Neil stared back at him and wondered what Kevin would do if Neil pulled his hood up and disappear.

“Have you spoken to Andrew recently?” Kevin blurted out but he had the decency to keep his tone quiet. Neil spared him a glare and rolled his shoulders to a sickening crack that Kevin grimaced at.

“He’s taking care of my cat. Why do you care?” Andrew may have been important back in the day to Kevin but he had moved on. Neil couldn’t imagine a life like that but Andrew had been… spared. More or less. Andrew had another life, one Kevin had never been involved in, one that Riko had never haunted.

“I can’t imagine him giving up,” Kevin said slowly. “On Exy. It seems so absurd.”

Neil looked at him and huffed, “Forty-four goals. What does that mean?”

Kevin paled at the number and shifted his jaw. He hesitated and Neil knew it wasn’t only Andrew that the number effected. “That was the number Andrew lost to. In college. He … He left the court after that. If his team had have won, they would have possibly faced the bigger teams in the championship. If Andrew had have still been in that goal through everything on the court…” Kevin swallowed and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. He doesn’t play anymore.”

 _Hypocritical of him,_ Neil thought. “He could have played the Ravens.” 

Kevin nodded slowly, meeting his gaze coldly. “If he had have made it _somehow_ to that rank, I would have faced him. But he didn’t and he never met Riko ever again. He had the guts to turn him down and after Riko-“ Kevin shifted in his seat, lowering his tone. “After Riko broke my hand, I ran. I went to Wymack and I stayed there until you followed.” Kevin flexed his hand absentmindedly, the raised little white scars stretching across his dark skin.

Neil closed his eyes as they began to take off. Kevin looked like he wanted to say more but he sat quiet as they climbed into the sky. Once the seatbelt sign turned off, Allison immediately sat up and moved over to Jeremy.

“Move,” she commanded and Jeremy shrugged, ruffling Jean’s hair as he moved into Allison’s seat. Jean scoffed as he left but the two of them looked at each other. Jeremy must have done something because the corner of Jean’s mouth quirked up. He turned his attention out the window as Jeremy chuckled to himself.

“Forty-four,” Allison said quickly to Neil. “You’re talking about Andrew Minyard, right? The blonde short goalkeeper from Chicago?”

Neil scowled whilst Kevin opened his mouth in disgust.

“Don’t play with me,” Allison scoffed. “Forty-four is the number Minyard lost to. Everyone knows about it. I was with you in college. Sure, I may not have listened but I couldn’t ignore everything.”

“Andrew Minyard?” Jeremy frowned, turning in his seat. Even Jean looked up. Neil wasn’t happy with the amount of questions. “That’s the goalkeeper from Chicago, right?”

“With the twin,” Jean added quickly. Allison looked at him and smiled.

“There you go, French boy. Keeping up with the times. Look how far you’ve come.”

He rolled his eyes while Neil pulled up his hood. He didn’t want to talk about Andrew to a bunch of people who didn’t know him. Neil may not have known anything much about him either but he knew some things.

Like how Andrew didn’t like white chocolate. He liked smoking and he didn’t seem to look down at traffic when he did. He was a bartender with a brother and he apparently cared enough for a cat to take her in and then take care of Neil’s too. Neil knew more mundane things about Andrew that seemed more significant than the information people knew about who he used to be.

“What happened to his cousin?” Allison asked, clicking her fingers to grab Neil’s attention again. Jeremy clicked his fingers and pointed at Allison when he had the answer.

“Nicky Hemmick,” he said and Kevin nodded his silent approval. “A backliner, right? With Minyard’s brother?”

Neil squinted down into his lap. How did everyone know about Andrew but not him? He supposed Riko would have hidden Andrew from him, waiting until he agreed to become number five to bring him to Evermore and-

Neil tuned back into the conversation when he realised Jean wasn’t talking nor paying attention. Allison was almost off her chair talking to Kevin for once and eventually she pulled him out of his seat and into Jeremy’s.  
Jean grunted when Neil’s arm brushed his. “You would assume for a one hour plane ride, they would be less energetic.” His accent calmed Neil like it always had.

Neil cracked a smirk at that and settled into the chair, spying whatever Jean was reading. “A book in English. You’ve changed.”

“Shut up,” the backliner snapped back but he didn’t tell Neil off when he leaned over to read. 

“How are Knox’s lessons going?”

Jean blinked slowly. “Interesting. He is a fast learner but his accent is awful. I never thought someone could be worse than you.” Neil scoffed while Jean raised his eyebrows with a smirk. 

Admittedly, Jean was a lot better than he had been in college. He was coping well, living with Jeremy nowadays and striving for every day. It was good to see him with light in his eyes and standing tall on his feet after everything he had been through. They were both still breathing, kicking and fighting.

“How do you think this game will go?” Neil asked. Jean rolled his eyes and launched into his mismatched Kevin-Jeremy captain-queen speech, knowing Neil just liked to hear him speak sometimes.

Kevin looked to be very upset at whatever Allison had just asked when Neil brought his attention away from Jean to him. He looked about ready to snap at her so Neil unbuckled himself and moved back into his own seat, shooting Allison a glare.

She flicked her hair over her shoulder and stood up, pushing her chest against Neil’s in challenge. They weirdly chest bumped like some frat boys in colleges before Allison smirked at him and sat back in her seat. Jeremy was already seated in his own seat, his head on Jean’s shoulder to sleep for the short time they had left in the air.

Kevin pursed his lips and sighed. “She asked about Andrew’s medication.”

Neil knew all too well about that. Trust Riko to have everything on the perfect number five. Andrew’s medication wasn’t unheard of; it was hot talk when they were all still in college. He wasn’t allowed to break his contract unless he wanted to eventually get sober. 

But that was none of Allison’s business. It was in the past and Neil was an expert about running from his past. Andrew was sober now, away from Exy and away from Riko. He was a different man, one that never went through Riko’s torment and torture. 

Andrew Minyard was the man who said fuck you to Riko Moriyama and Neil didn’t think he could ever let that go. He deserved respect for that in Neil’s books and he was known as the one who handed Riko his own ass on a silver platter on national TV on more than one occasion.

Neil didn’t give Kevin any indication that he wanted to speak about Andrew’s past, lest Kevin grill him about what the blonde had revealed to him. Even if Kevin had asked what he knew, Neil knew it was Andrew’s business and if he wanted to tell the whole world about his medication, it was his choice. Though, Neil supposed he already had to do that because of his contract.

Boston was waiting for him and he tried to push all thoughts of Andrew out of his head. He only hoped that Andrew hadn’t decided he hated Neil enough to trash his apartment and possibly murder his cat. He doubted Andrew would do that despite his threats but something told Neil that if he meant a threat, it wouldn’t go unnoticed.

Neil pursed his lips to avoid smirking and pulled up his hood. Soon, the pilot came over the speakers to announce their arrival time.

 

Andrew Minyard felt like the biggest idiot the world had ever procured and he didn’t think he would ever take that title from Nicky.

He realised that not owning a television did not aid him because he really missed playing video games. Sure, his handheld devices could tie him over but he missed searching the television and finding the wider spread world.

Aaron got custody of his console after Andrew left the dorms and Andrew had hated every second he was away from that console. He missed playing Metal Gear late at night when his drugs had worn off and his brother was asleep on the beanbags next to him, an odd comfort.

After spending an absurd amount of time reading the instructions in English, German and what little Italian he remembered from high school, he finally got his television set up with satellite. He’d have to take back his NES from Aaron when he wasn’t home. He’d also have to steal his old games from him but for now he had some old shoot ‘em ups that he never got rid of and his Gameboys.

Andrew realised while he was halfway cutting up chicken for his dinner that he had forgotten about Neil’s dumb cat. He turned off the gas in his stove and trudged over to Neil’s apartment, looking down at the ground.

Of course there was no mat like Neil had said; this was an apartment. If Neil had done that, he would have been asking for someone to just open his door and raid his apartment. Which Andrew was highly considering doing. Surely Neil had to see how vulnerable he was being.

Neil’s key was lodged in the edge of the carpet, wedged between that and his door frame so it was easier enough to find. Andrew took and pursed his lips, wondering if he could just steal the key and leave the cat to its own devices. 

Andrew shoved the key into the lock.

Day was in Neil’s bedroom which was littered with clothes. She was perched on his pillow, flicking her tail at him. They met each other’s gazes and Andrew’s lip curled like a feral animal, ignoring the irony of it.

“If you think I am carrying you over there, you are very wrong.” Andrew raised his eyebrow when she stood and arched her back in a lazy yawn. He watched her pad past him and sit at the front door of Neil’s apartment, peering up at him. He ushered her out, taking a few tins of cat food that Neil had from his pantry. If Exy’s golden boy that wasn’t Jeremy Knox wanted him to take care of his cat, he could pay for it too.

Andrew glanced back at the apartment, checking that Neil hadn’t left the window open or something stupid in his absence. He had not, which was a surprise, but what he had left was a small note on the coffee table next to an old coffee cup.

 

_call me if anything happens. if I don’t pick up immediately, I’ll eventually call you back. Thanks again._

 

Neil’s number was scratched underneath and Andrew raised his eyebrow and pocketed the note. He doubted he’d have to call Neil; how bad could his Kevin Day cat possibly be? Andrew considered he might have jinxed himself in thinking that but if anything happened, she wasn’t his cat. Neil could deal with her when he got home in a week.

It was simple for a few days. Day slept on the couch while Queen seated herself anywhere near Andrew at all times. She wasn’t a very cuddly cat but she was still good to have around for company. She let herself be known to Andrew quietly and he let her do whatever she wanted as long she didn’t annoy him.

Day on the other hand just loved to piss Andrew the fuck off. 

She threaded herself through his legs when he was in the kitchen, mewing for food despite being fed moments before. Eventually, Andrew locked her in his bedroom just for some distance. When he opened the door, she had laid all over his pillows, the hair sticking to his sheets in smears.

Still, Andrew did not call Neil. Not even to complain. That’s why he called Renee.

 _“She could be hungry?”_ Renee had said to him. Andrew had slammed his microwave shut.

“Oh, geez, Renee. I did _not_ think of that.”

Renee had chuckled. _“How silly of me. You should just look up how to care for a cat.”_

“Ha _ha._ ” Andrew had rolled his eyes when Day began to mew from his bedroom. “I’ll call you back.”

 _“No hurry,”_ Renee had replied and Andrew could hear the smile in her voice.

While Queen kept her distance, sitting next to him on the couch while he did the Saturday crossword or next to his leg while he played his old racing games and shoot ‘em ups, Day was all over the place.

She crawled on his laptop keyboard, seated herself in his lap while he played games. She even hopped onto his bench top to swipe at his hands while he made dinner. 

Long story short, he was pointing a very sharp knife at a cat that had no idea what he was capable of. She felt no fear and Andrew wouldn’t be surprised if she landed on her feet after falling from his fire escape. He felt a strange sense of respect for her.

Then he realised he was respecting a cat named after Kevin Day himself and he was currently holding a knife millimetres from her nose. His respect was quickly overshadowed by hatred.

Andrew resumed his dicing of onions and moved Day from his counter top when she tried to swipe him again. He quickly made up fried rice, cooking for once in his life and sat down on the couch. Queen crawled over to him before Day could and almost protectively sat in Andrew’s lap while she stared at Day on the ground. Andrew held up his bowl of fried rice up to let Queen settle on his lap and he moved his jaw to clean the rice out of his teeth while Day stared up at him too.

Day meowed loudly at him and all Andrew did was lean further back into the couch. He kicked the coffee table, startling Day away from him and he caught the remote between his feet.

Leaning over Queen carefully as not to disturb his cat, he grabbed the remote and flicked through the channels. He eventually got bored, settling in to finish his fried rice. The programmes flipped over while he ate and he placed the bowl on the coffee table.

Andrew tried again to flick through the channels, deciding whether or not play video games again before the sports channel flicked on. Of course it did.

Exy was a national sport, soon to become an international one and it had its own channel. A replay of a game was playing and Andrew squinted when he heard Jeremy Knox’s voice. The camera switched back to sunshine future captain himself and his smile could light the whole locker room.

Jeremy didn’t always handle interviews, Andrew knew. He just had the character for it. Their captain was good but having Jeremy Knox, Kevin Day, Jean Moreau and Neil Josten on the same team really answered the question about who people wanted to hear from before, during or after a game.

 _“How do you feel?”_ the reporter asked. Jeremy wasn’t sweating so Andrew figured it was before a game, a quick interview. His dark hair was pushed back by a red bandana that was so utterly Trojan but no one had it in them to complain while he laughed.

 _“Scared, honestly!”_ he smiled. _“But I’ve got my team behind me so I can’t be too worried. But y’all don’t wanna talk to little old me.”_

Jeremy roped his arm off frame and pulled Kevin in, his hair ruffled and his eyes wide. He stood straight, taller than Jeremy and gave a small polite smile.

 _“Kevin Day, my boy,”_ Jeremy laughed. _“I hope we can play a good game, don’t you?”_

 _“Of course,”_ Kevin replied, ever the charmer. His startles expression cleared easily. _“I hope that we can all play our hardest and have a fair game.”_

 _“You sound like true Trojan material!”_ the reporter laughed while Jeremy’s eyes widened and his smile almost split his face in half. The reporter warped up, switching to another journalist with the captain of the other team, their future captain at her side. Andrew ignored most of the interview in favour of eating. He finished off his fried rice right when the numbers and names of the teams were called out, each one of them making their way to the court.

Andrew watched as Neil jogged out, the striker side stepping to practise and heading over to Kevin and Jeremy. He slapped his hand against Jeremy’s and immediately began bickering with Kevin while Jean cracked his knuckles.

 _“Neil Josten, number six,”_ the description came. _“He’s a firecracker if we’ve ever seen one, right? Compared to Day, you’d think it’d be an easy win if they were against each other but God! He’s slippery, right?”_

The second commentator agreed, chuckling to himself. _“The chemistry between those two is off the charts. Even now, they’re still the ideal team of top strikers. Let’s take a look at their stats.”_

Andrew found himself predicting the ending of the game before half time. Neil played like he always did according to the commentators and Kevin was still yelling at him across the court. Eventually, Jean shoved Kevin back when he got too close to Neil and Neil looked about ready to punch Kevin in the face. The three of them screamed at each other in French, Jean getting the better of both them and glaring between them. Kevin stepped back and Neil threw his hands up in an invitation for Kevin to come at him. Jean pushed him back, jogging backwards while Neil flipped Kevin off with his chunky glove. Andrew felt his lips quirk at the childish display. It was just like college all over again.

Still, they played extremely well, Jeremy switching out Neil by the end along with another backliner named Macintosh and completed the game with a smooth win. Andrew switched his television channels back to his own games.

He didn’t text Neil in the time that he was away.

He did put the note on his fridge for later use.

 

 

Upon returning home, Neil felt exhausted. It wasn’t that he was bone deep tired but he felt the game he had played catching up to him and planes always made him tired. And he had only been gone for a few days.

Neil unlocked his door with a sigh, rubbing his eye. He felt brief panic at the fact that Day wasn’t there to greet him but he remembered that if Day wasn’t there to greet him, Andrew must have come to get her in his absence.

It was early in the morning when he got home, the team always opting to get home as soon as possible to resume practise once again for the next game on their list. 

And yet, despite the time, Andrew was on the fire escape when he came home.

Home still felt foreign to him. It was a small apartment in the city; hardly a family home on the country side of America. But he still felt safe in it, despite New York’s high crime ratings. Either way, Neil doubted anyone could best him easily despite him having not shot a gun nor wielding a knife in years.

Neil shook himself out, focusing on the hazy light from Andrew’s apartment and the glow of his cigarette. A soundtrack was playing from his apartment while Andrew smoked on the stairs and Neil silently mused at its familiarity.

“Policenauts?” Neil asked, cringing at the interruption of the calm silence. Andrew spared him a glance and nodded, not seeming to mind.

“Hideo Kojima did a lot more than Metal Gear,” Andrew answered, his eyes fixed on the cars moving past. A shiver passed through him.

Andrew flicked out his box of cigarettes and glanced at Neil, catching his own cigarette between his teeth and holding it in his mouth. His words were muffled when he said, “Yes or no?”

Neil looked at the box and pursed his lips. He just came back from a game and he didn’t want to lose his “good” streak as Jeremy called it. “I’m fine, thank you.” He hid his smirk at the old overused phrase; Allison would have scowled at him for it. “I’m assuming Day gave you no problems.”

A muscle in Andrew’s cheek twitched in what Neil assumed was annoyance. “It is lucky that you’re home. Any longer and I would have tested if cats really do land on their feet every time.”

Neil raised his eyebrows slowly and nodded, knowing Andrew wouldn’t have really done it. “Right.”

Andrew bit his lip and scratched his head and Neil hid his amusement from the fact that he could push Andrew’s buttons like that as he looked out onto the skyline.

Andrew chewed through two more cigarettes before Neil looked at him again. Andrew stared at him and blew smoke at him, clogging up Neil’s nose. Neil coughed at him but held his hand out for a cigarette, which Andrew asked the same question again.

“French inhales?” Neil asked, lighting up the stick with Andrew’s lighter. Andrew tipped his head to the side subtly and caught the lighter with one hand when Neil threw it back to him. Andrew gave him a pointed look but did not respond.

Neil took a thick drag and did the motion, inhaling the smoke from his cigarette in through his nose. He kept it in his mouth for a moment before he blew it back at Andrew and the blonde leaned back a little to avoid it, glaring the whole time. 

“Oops,” Neil smirked, the rest of the smoke coming out of his mouth and piling around them. It disappeared quickly through the air. “Works better with joints.”

“And you’ve toked before?” Andrew questioned, his eyes squinting slightly.

Neil ashed off as he licked his lips, blowing out the drag he took afterwards. “Is that your question?”

Andrew raised an eyebrow at him, turning his head sharply to the traffic beside them. There was silence for a moment before Andrew took another drag and said, “Why New York?”

Neil ashed off with a flick of his finger again, watching the flakes float through the air. “America is a big place.”

“So is the entire world, genius.”

“I’m aware. But New York is a big city. It doesn’t stop for anyone so it won’t stop for me.”

Andrew looked down and blinked slowly. He opened his mouth and Neil had to fight to keep the surprise from his face; his next words were in German.

“I learnt in high school with my brother,” he said simply, his accent thick but not quite local. It was still extremely good pronunciation for someone who’s native language was English.

“Your accent is rough, but good enough,” Neil replied. “You could pass as a local with your hair and eyes, too.”

Andrew sniffed but didn’t reply. Neil looked down too, still speaking German. “You have never been, have you? To _Deutschland?”_ He said the last word with an exaggerated American accent.

“ _Germany,_ ” Andrew said in the same accent as Neil, meeting his gaze with a glare, “is not on my list.”

“It is a nice place,” Neil said slowly. “I’ve yet to go to France, actually. Jean tells me all the time how he misses it but I’ve never gone.”

“Take the queen. I am sure he would be thrilled to scream at people on the street.”

Neil lifted his chin and licked his lips. Kevin hadn’t been to France either but Neil didn’t plan on his first trip there being with him. He either wanted to go to France or Australia next. But if he could avoid the spiders of that country, he would. 

“I’ve never played Policenauts,” Neil said for a change of pace. “Is it good?”

And that’s how they spent the night. Andrew let out snide comments about old games from the nineties that Neil mentioned while Neil kept most of the conversation going by telling Andrew about the weird knock-off arcade games he had encountered in his travels over the years. He never said why he was travelling, as Andrew didn’t need to know nor did he ask. They simply talked.

It was good to be in New York again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey friends i'm a little bit late but i finished exams last week and i wanted this chapter to be properly polished so here u go brothers  
> gimme that sweet jean content he's my favourite character so here's me projecting all my love into him. and some good trojan content so it's all good
> 
> feedback is always welcome and im too lazy to link my tumblr but im now @ kazsbrekkfast lol


	6. Phone calls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil answered the unknown number with a grunt and a, “Hello?”
> 
> “Who am I speaking with?” came the grunted reply, deep and muffled.
> 
> Neil stopped in his tracks at the unfamiliar voice, dropping his arm again. He looked around him, begging his heart to stop speeding up as his brain cycled through who it could possibly be. “This is Stefan. Who am I speaking with?”

Neil had said that he liked that New York never waited for anyone, but haling a cab in that city was a hell storm on earth and he’d rather have time stop for him so he could get to practise rather than have Kevin complain and whine until Neil snapped at him and they both got annoyed.

Neil had just left his building when his phone began to vibrate in his pocket, almost as if he had summoned Kevin Day himself. He fished it out, seeing the contact as the queen himself and pursed his lips. He grappled with whether or not he could get away with not answering but he was already late for practise and ignoring Kevin wouldn’t do him any favours.

He still declined the call as he held his hand out to flag down a cab.

Neil’s bag hung over his shoulder, weighing him down but he still held his arm firm. His phone started up again and Neil saw that it was Jeremy this time. He answered gladly.

_“So you’ll answer Jeremy but not me?”_ Kevin’s voice came while Jeremy’s laugh could be heard in the back. Neil grimaced; of course Kevin would do that. He had done it before but Neil wasn’t as suspicious of people ringing his phone these days. He was getting rusty. His mother must have been rolling in her grave.

_“Give him a break, Day!”_ Jeremy said cheerily, ever the optimistic one. _“He’s on his way. Probably. I hope? Neil, are you coming?”_ His tone turned worried.

“Yes, I’m coming,” Neil replied snappily. He dropped his arm when cabs kept driving past him despite it being a major road and sighed. “If I could get a cab, I’d come to practise, but-“

_“Awh,”_ Jeremy interrupted before Neil got too angry. _“Give it a bit. We’ll see you soon, yeah?”_

Kevin’s voice came in urgently and Jeremy made a sound of distress. _“If you’re not here in the next ten minutes, so help me God, Neil-“_

Neil’s phone started vibrating again and he frowned at the unfamiliar number. “I’ll call you back,” he said, knowing full well that he wouldn’t be doing that. Judging by Kevin’s continued complaining, the striker knew that all too well and was trying to keep him there as long as he could to get his point across.

Neil answered the unknown number with a grunt and a, “Hello?”

_“Who am I speaking with?”_ came the grunted reply, deep and muffled.

Neil stopped in his tracks at the unfamiliar voice, dropping his arm again. He looked around him, begging his heart to stop speeding up as his brain cycled through who it could possibly be. “This is Stefan. Who am _I_ speaking with?”

_“Just wanted to see what you’d pick up with,”_ came Andrew’s normal gravelly voice and Neil screwed up his face and glared at the fire escapes above him, hoping to see the bartender. _“Stefan? Keeping with the German, are we?”_

“I might as well, _Joseph,”_ Neil jabbed back and Andrew sniffed.

_“You will not catch a cab on that road,”_ the blonde said instead. _“Switch to the other side of the street.”_

“And how do I know you’re not lying to me?” Neil said, looking up at Andrew who had finally shown his face. He looked down at Neil and the striker could still see his unamused glare.

_“Take it or don’t. You are the one with the massive duffle and a dumb look on your face. Use your brain for once.”_

Neil did as Andrew told him to, still able to see Andrew only he was further away now. Neil eventually was able to get a cab and piled into it, instructing the driver on where to go. Hopefully Kevin wouldn’t hate him too much.

There was a break in the conversation but Andrew picked it up again, surprisingly. _“Any other names?”_

Neil stifled a snort that was too sarcastic. “Is it your turn?” he retorted and Andrew must have flicked his lighter because Neil heard it multiple times before Andrew exhaled loudly, clearly annoyed.

_“My cousin lives in Germany.”_

“Is that why you know German?” Neil tried but Andrew only took another drag. Neil heard him exhale. If he was there, he could imagine Andrew blowing the smoke back in his face.

_“No. Is Stefan the only name?”_

Neil pursed his lips. He wasn’t about to name all twenty-two of them over the phone to his next door neighbour while he sat in the back of a cab. “Curious,” he said instead. He nodded to the cab driver when he asked if he was going the right way and didn’t tell Andrew that it once again, wasn’t his turn. “If you really want to know, meet me on the fire escape.”

Andrew took a breath and Neil wasn’t sure if it was a drag of his cigarette or if it was one of annoyance. The line went dead and Neil smirked when he realised Andrew had hung up on him. He was being a shit and he knew it.

Neil was able to get to practise with minimal issues. Kevin tried to call Neil again but Neil ignored him and locked his phone when the striker began to text him endlessly, praying someone who take that man's phone away from him.

Practise was as good as it could have been with Kevin annoyed about him being late but he was a grown adult and knew when to let things go. Jeremy was a god-sent presence, most of his attention on Kevin throughout the day to keep him a little bit off the older members and Neil himself.

Upon returning home, Neil noticed that he hadn’t asked for his key back from Andrew. He also noticed that he didn’t really mind Andrew having access to his apartment. It was a strange feeling. He only had one spare key and he had already given to his neighbour of three months. Neil should have been more bothered but he wasn’t in the slightest. Andrew didn’t have an explicit need to use his apartment so he doubted the blonde would even frequent.

Andrew wasn’t home that night so Neil stole a night alone to himself and Day. She was rowdy but eventually she calmed down enough to sit on Neil’s lap while he shifted through a bowl of fruit. Where the team couldn’t chastise him, he relished in his ability to digest food and gain nothing from it. He didn’t relish in the fact that gaining muscle was difficult so his height and stature didn’t aid him in looking intimidating.

He wondered about Andrew with his broad shoulders and shirts that never failed to slim him and show off the punch he packed underneath. Andrew looked anything but small despite his height. Neil had felt stronger because of his extra three inches in height but Andrew’s cold exterior and stocky build had erased that thought from his mind. 

Day padded his thigh and needed it with her claws. Neil sat through the pain of her claws and took a breath once she finally stopped. He looked at her proud and sleeping face and supposed he couldn’t be too upset.

Eventually Neil drifted off on his couch, waking only when he heard something break in the next room. He awoke with a start, waking Day on the process who hissed at him and jumped from his lap, sprinting into the bedroom. Neil willed his heart to stop beating so fast and pulled on a long sleeve shirt to hide himself, climbing out to the fire escape.

Andrew was there, lighting up a cigarette. They didn’t look at each other until Andrew was through his third cigarette and the blonde spared him a glance. If looks could kill, Neil really did not want to be on the receiving end of Andrew’s rage. He wasn’t afraid though, knowing that whatever Andrew was upset at, he wasn’t the cause of it.

Neil dragged himself from the front of his fire escape to the side bars so he could face Andrew better. Andrew looked at him again, something akin to a glare but not quite. He leaned back from the metal barrier, his hands white knuckled on the rusted paint scrapped bars. He finally looked at Neil, his green eyes full of fire and the dampened hue of the street lamps and lights above them turned them yellow like a beast.

“Kevin was shitty at practise,” Neil said, hoping that whatever was on Andrew’s mind would take a back burner so long as Neil spoke nonsense to occupy him. “Jean wasn’t happy either but that’s only because Kevin was annoying everyone about me being late.”

Andrew lifted his chin and took a long drag of his cigarette. He continuously flicked his lighter open and closed with swift jerks of his wrist but when Neil stopped talking for a few moments, he glanced up at him. Neil rested his head against the bricks.

“Some of the older teammates were on my side though. Haling a cab in New York is the worst.” Neil closed his eyes. “Allison, one of the dealers, told me that you have to have grown up here to really know the city. I guess I’ll never learn how. Kevin’s not from here and yet he seems to get around fine. Then again, he can also drive.”

“And you can not.” When Andrew spoke, his voice was quiet but still held its gravelly tone. It was lower than usual, still doused with his anger from before. 

Neil tilted his head towards him against the bricks and opened his eyes. “I never said I couldn’t drive,” he said simply.

Andrew stared at him for a moment before averting his eyes to the side. “No license, then.”

“I never said that.”

Neil knew he was being a smartass and judging by the way Andrew’s hands tightened on the metal before they promptly let go, Andrew knew it too but Neil could tell he wasn’t explicitly upset. His shoulders dropped a bit of tension but he didn’t look back at Neil.

“Does Stefan have one?” he asked instead, his tone level.

Neil weighed his replies and decided that telling Andrew it wasn’t his turn would just piss him off so Neil closed his eyes again. “Stefan does have one. Though it’s only valid in Germany.”

“And Alex?”

“He was never old enough.”

Andrew watched the skyline but he didn’t respond. He lifted one hand to his neck and rolled his head back, successfully cracking it. Neil watched him after the sound and Andrew seemed to relax another touch, taking a deep breath and another drag.

“Yes or no?” Andrew asked, offering the cigarette box. Neil stared at it for a moment before he took it from Andrew but he didn’t take a stick from it. He read the packaging instead, pursing his lips at all the warnings that Andrew neglected to look at. He supposed he was guilty too and drew a cigarette from the package shortly after.

Andrew flicked his lighter aflame and Neil leaned in, taking a little longer than was necessary just to watch Andrew’s eyes catch the light of the fire. Neil knew of how people had seen his own eyes but Andrew’s were dark and yet somehow alight, a cool green under his platinum fringe.

Andrew clicked the lighter shut and pocketed it quickly but their close proximity didn’t disperse even with the gap between the fire escapes. 

Neil took a slow drag and blew it to the side of the building, the smoke gathering against the bricks before it disappeared. The warm night air was heating up Neil’s skin underneath his sleeves and he rubbed one his wrist, an inch he couldn’t scratch.

Andrew eyed his hands and Neil stilled under his gaze. It was captivating and odd how Andrew made him stop, like a click of his fingers after a sharp command only the blonde hadn’t spoken a word.

Andrew looked at Neil’s long sleeve covered arms while Neil stared at Andrew’s own armbands and wondered what he was hiding under their. He supposed it couldn’t have been too different from his own scars and burns if he wore them all the time.

“Can you make me a drink?” Neil asked suddenly. He had mulling it over in his mind and knew that one drink wouldn’t hurt him and the fact that Andrew was a licensed and trained bartender didn’t go unnoticed.

Well, at least Neil thought he was a licensed and trained bartender. He wasn’t exactly sure but Andrew seemed confident enough. He also didn’t seem like the man to fake that kind of thing. Oddly enough, Neil trusted him.

Andrew squinted at him, the only indication that he had heard him. Queen meowed again but Neil didn’t take his eyes from Andrew.

“Later,” Andrew said, his voice quiet for only Neil but not weak. Neil didn’t push, even when Andrew’s hands tightened on the bars of the fire escape again. He figured something must have happened at work that had set Andrew off.

Neil stayed on the fire escape for as long as Andrew did, even when the lines of cars began to grow thinner and then spark up again with the early morning call of the corporate offices. Eventually, after the street lights turned off and Neil was yet to feel tired again despite his day of practise, Andrew brought him a coffee. 

They didn’t speak a word, not even when Neil took the cup from Andrew and began to drink. It was fresh, hazelnut scents drifting from the mug. It wasn’t overly sweet even though Andrew was busy pouring sweetened cream into his own before he set it on the windowsill.

They drank in silence, as they had been talking in it for most of the night. Andrew took longer to finish his coffee than Neil did but Neil rested his mug on his own windowsill for safe keeping.

Neil’s scars peeked out from where his sleeves rode up and he rubbed at one of them before tugging the fraying hem over it again. Andrew eyed him and Neil did nothing to indicate that he wanted to speak about his scars but he knew Andrew wouldn’t ask. He didn’t seem like that kind of person.

Neil hung his head as the sun began to warm both of them up further and Andrew lifted his chin, blinking slowly.

Sleeping could wait for a little longer.

 

Wymack’s sharp bark of a voice was the only thing in Neil’s mind as he climbed the stairs to his apartment. 

The elevator was one thing to use but Neil didn’t like being in an elevator even after all these years. One had shut off on him once while he was Brazil and he had been left there for three hours before someone came yelling and he recognised his mother’s voice in cold relief.

Neil tuned back into Wymack’s speech and even though he wasn’t his coach anymore, he still liked to keep in touch, especially since Kevin and him were making an effort to actually build a relationship that wasn’t based just around exy. 

_“Do you really have to scream at each other every damn game?”_ Wymack said and Neil rolled his eyes, switching his phone to his other hand to fish out his keys as he took the final step to his floor.

“If Kevin wouldn’t yell at me about every damn slip up, then I wouldn’t. Jean really doesn’t have to join in every time and yet here we are.”

_“Jean fights against you or with you?”_

“Usually with me. Kevin shits on him about the same amount as me.”

Neil should have felt bad about bagging out Wymack’s own son to him over the phone but last time Neil checked, he didn’t feel guilty even if Kevin did mean a lot to him.

Wymack gave a small chuckle and shifted on the phone. Neil was pleased to know that the old coach still even bothered to watch his games. He cared for him and Kevin, along with Allison and therefore Jean and Jeremy in the strangest but Wymack-est ways. He and Abby were the biggest activists for Captain-Jeremy than anyone else which surprised no one and made Kevin even proud to be related to the old man.

Neil headed to his apartment and shoved his key into the lock, turning it quickly and slipping inside. He immediately shrugged off his jacket that he had to wear to cover his scars and sighed as he jammed his phone against his shoulder to scratch one of them. Wymack jabbered on about some of the new foxes he had and Neil only half listened as he moved through his apartment.

Wymack was in the middle of talking about the old recruit, Jack, and where he’d gone with his life when Neil spotted a box on his couch and squinted at it.

“I’ll call you back,” Neil said quickly, ignoring Wymack gruff, Wha-? as he locked his phone and left it on the kitchen counter.

Neil eyed the box before setting it down in his lap, opening it up. He knew it had to be from Andrew as he was the only other one that had his key or someone had broken into his apartment and left a bomb which he deemed unlikely from the zero sign of forced entry.

And if Neil wasn’t sure if the gift was from Andrew or not, he sure as hell knew for certain once he opened the box.

Two sets of armbands were carefully folded inside, wrist to elbow just like Andrew’s. Nothing other than black was on them, simple and somehow elegant. 

Neil pressed the fabric between his fingers, noticing it was cotton. He knew Allison would have something to say about the choice of fabric but he couldn’t care less. He easily slipped them on, tugging them up and over his elbows, feeling the compression around his bicep to hold them snuggly against his skin. They felt just like the socks he wore on the court to limit injury.

Neil flexed his arms within them, feeling the compression move with his muscles. The armbands wouldn’t hide the scars that peeked up over his hands but it was good enough considering most of his scars were over his arms. What the armbands didn’t cover, his short sleeves made up for.

Neil felt the side of his mouth quirk up and he ran his teeth over his lip. Andrew Minyard with his growls and his glares, gave Neil a gift while Neil gave him a key to his home.

What an interesting pair the two of them made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey yall uhhhh  
> i know the update is short but i just got down with school abt a week ago so after this let's hope for more writing power and inspiration!  
> you guys are always welcome to give me feedback and suggestions if you would like?? love yall


End file.
